Catchy melodies and euphoric compositions constitute Stafr‘nn H kon's sixth album, Sanitas. The songs are yet intense and powerful and an adventurous continuation of Stafr‘nn H kon's last release, Gummi that Gaz eta described as a wild ride the band again took the listener on. Stafr‘nn H kon has through the last years been described as a mix of post-rock, lo-fi, ambient guitar & electronica which still holds true to some extent though he with each album takes a giant leap and keeps growing as a musician. On Sanitas, Stafr‘nn H kon travels to the other side of the sound spectrum, gradually moving further from electronica, subtle compositions and soothing melodies towards more straight forward, rock orientated compositions which the artist himself often describes as Power-Ambient, currently only audible to left handed polar bears. On Sanitas, Stafr‘nn H kon continues his explorative journey, this time by taking another daring but natural step towards more pop oriented and singalong melodies, something that a few years ago sounded unlikely for the ambient post-rock/electronica band.

Since 2012 Erased Tapes peers Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm have spent many hours together in their studios across Berlin and Reykjavik, freely improvising and occasionally capturing the music for their fans. The duo's sound is an astoundingly rich, tonally pure example of synth-driven experimentation, conceived and performed by two prolific collaborators.
During a session at Nils's Durton Studio in Berlin last summer the two specially invited photographer Alexander Schneider to capture one of their unique improvised sessions. Lasting long into the night, the pair gradually and organically formed several individual songs – each contributing to the narrative of a larger, transformative piece of music. Recorded in eight hours with no overdubs or edits, 'Trance Frendz' is a captivating journey through grand soundscapes and droning crescendos which crash and recede back, making way for delicate piano notes and swirling synthesizers.

Blown in by Reykjavik’s icy winds and guided by the bewitching Northern Lights, Iceland’s own Bardi Johannsson announces the details of the long-awaited new Bang Gang album. Entitled “The Wolves Are Whispering” and out in the U.S. on May 19th, this album is Bang Gang’s first in over 7 years. The album features guest vocals by Helen Marnie (Ladytron), Keren Ann (Lady & Bird), Jofridur Akadottir (Samaris, Pascal Pinon) and Bloodgroup.
Though it’s been nearly a decade since the last Bang Gang record, Ghosts From The Past, the brooding Icelandic composer Bardi Johannsson has kept busy with multiple projects. His recent collaborations include the electro-pop duo Starwalker with Jean-Benoît Dunckel of Air and Lady and Bird with French songstress Keren Ann. Johannsson has also scored numerous films and documentaries including David Guy Levy’s Would You Rather (with Daniel Hunt), and the French success De Toutes Nos Forces, directed by Nils Tavernier.

SIGUR ROS在1994年成立于冰岛REYKJAIL，早年一行三人姿态的他们包括歌手兼吉他手JON TONR BIRGISSON、低音吉他手GEORG HOLM和鼓手AGUST OVAR GUNNARSON，乐队取名自JON 年幼妹妹的名字（SINGUR ROS即VICTORY ROSE之意）。三年后，乐队终于在SMEKKLEYSA这所冰岛独立厂牌旗下发表了第一张专辑《VON》。然后乐队设立了一名键盘手KJARTAN SVEINSSON，自此SIGUR ROS拓展成四人阵容，乐队随即展开第二张专辑《AGAETIS BYRJUN》的工作。唱片在99年6月于冰岛SMEKKLEYSA厂牌推出，这张专辑在冰岛稳站排行榜冠军达8个星期，乐队在冰岛的成功，且由于这张专辑的出色表现更是令他们受到英国独立厂牌FAT CAT之青睐、把他们罗致旗下，并横扫当年的英伦独立音乐圈，也称为当年最令人瞩目的优秀作品之一。2000年，AGUST的鼓手位置由ORRI PALL DYRASON代替，乐队亦于伦敦举行了他们的首场演唱会。2002年，乐队由FAT CAT公司推出了第三张专辑()。
我不能确定那是云中隐隐的雷声还是SIGUR ROS伤感而铿锵的鼓声，我好象回到了遥远而熟悉的时间和空间，远得仿佛手伸得再长也触碰不到边缘的土地。有风，暖的，冷的，就这样拂面而来。夹杂着一些干净的泥土，沙砾，打在你脸上，细微的疼痛感，稍瞬即逝。有些仿佛是婴儿的声音，轻轻地唱着，念着，无意识的，或者有意义的，都可以。女的，男的，分不清的。什么都有。杂合着那样的风，那样的气息，就像是冰岛的空气，就像有人说的那样，“在冰岛有风吹到，都会有想哭的感觉。到处弥漫的，是音乐的，无处不在的音乐的气息。”就像是这样的，冰冰冷冷，又惬意非常的感觉。当然，还有一种季节叫冬天，冬天一定会有雪，雪是飞舞的，无论是黑夜还是白昼。在雪的世界里，就算阳光温暖明媚，也无法融化它们的躯体，生命就像雪季的一个过程，开始，白色的雪花覆盖了我们幼稚的童年，我哭了，旷野中，精灵们好奇而无奈的看着我，和着我的哭泣和风声轻轻吟唱着，我听不懂这语言，我只感到这歌声高亢，这风声像大提琴的鸣奏。雪慢慢的又覆盖了我脆弱的青春，我还来不及向往和期盼，这时我的身体强壮，却无法摆脱身边的束缚，一切的努力好象都只是在挣扎，广袤的原野只有我和在我腰际无边的雪，突然间雪到了我的头顶，原来白发是这样染成的......我笑了，听着精灵们朦胧、萧条的吟唱，我继续的等待。这就是驻留在我心灵角落的SIGUR ROS，连噩梦都是这般的诗意。我们会迷失的，会迷失在梦里的，会迷失在过去和现在的。纪伯伦曾说，遗忘是选择自由的一种方式。听这SIGUR ROS的《AGAETIS BYRJUN》，也许是可以选择迷失在自由里的，也许是可以选择彻底地束缚自己的。
无论是从概念还是从感觉来说，来自冰岛的SIGUR ROS都代表着空灵简约的美学主义。八首无名的歌曲，一对()作为标题，一本无字的小书，这是SIGUR ROS的第三张专辑，它再一次把乐队的简约主义风格发挥到一个前所未有的新层面之上。正如SIGUR ROS所说的“每个人对这唱片里的音乐都会拥有完全的个性化体验与感知，对于每个人来说，唱片都是为他们个人而创作是独一无二的”，因此我们实在不需要把此唱片分为任何的歌曲，因为所有作品都是来得那么凄美动人，它们是为人类灵魂深处而存在的一系列配乐。TRACK-1缓慢凝重的前奏，高潮部分的凄厉假声将让人痛得彻骨，纯音乐作品TRACK-3在最简约的音符上描绘着无垠的宏大，纯正的电影质感，然而我想这需要怎样的一部电影才能表达这份感觉？而在这张专集中最为出色的是TRACK-4，空灵飘逸的吉他在神圣的鼓点声中延伸、渗透，JON TONR BIRGISSON的歌声再次响起，虽然始终重复着一句歌词，但是依然非常富有变化和感染力，一曲终了，总有意犹未尽之感。TRACK-6深具内聚力的演奏，好比PINK FLOYD鼓手NICK MASON来演奏的GOTHIC作品，歌曲也渐趋激情。在碟末TRACK-8内更展现出他凌厉的鼓技。而TRACK-6则让我隐约的感觉到大海，兰色和白色的世界，是悲伤之人的眼泪汇聚而成地方，因为它的味道也是咸的，我们无时无刻的，日以继夜的带着这种液体奔波着，只要生命存在，它们就有理由存在，因为它们是悲伤和快乐的载体。就算生命不在了，我们的泪水会合在一起，来自每一个村庄和城市，每一个清晨和黄昏。也许这就是殊途同归的最终体现。大海的边缘是和天空相接的。在每一个晴朗的日子，总有一些人在这无边无际的痛苦汪洋中快乐的戏水，俨然忘记了这是一个苦涩之源。()，简单的符号，却到底是什么意义？谁都有他的感觉和想法。我却无从理解。是圆满吗？残缺的圆满吗？或者是两个月亮？上弦月，遥对着下弦月？或者只是括号？包括了没有指定意义的括号？太多答案。甚至这已成为一个迷失的乐园。好像越扯越远了。只在回忆中感觉那样的音乐。因为无风，因为微冷，因为无声，因为疲惫。
全碟的歌词是一种混合英语及冰岛语的一种语文，被SIGUR ROS们自称为HOPELANDISH，所以很难听懂齐歌词的意思，但是这并不重要，JON TONR BIRGISSON犹如天籁的歌声本身就是一种乐器。
听POST ROCK需要一个条件，就是要对音乐有开放的心，如果你是一个“死硬派”乐迷可能你会觉的POST-ROCK只是一些乱来的东西，甚至是垃圾，这在乎你对音乐是否勇于尝试及接受。

His most revealing and vulnerable work to date, some kind of peace also features Ólafur’s close companions Bonobo, Josin, and JFDR.
Ólafur Arnalds is one of the most influential musicians of modern times: a multi-faceted talent, who has paved the way across the electronic and classical worlds. His latest album, ‘some kind of peace’, nonetheless has the feel of a brand new chapter for Ólafur. Within, you'll find a self-confessed perfectionist grappling with the messier realities of everyday life: the possibilities of love, of settling down, and how to navigate all of that during a global pandemic (the album was half-written prior to lockdown, and completed at Arnalds' harbour studio in downtown Reykjavik). What's emerged on 'some kind of peace' is a record about letting your guard down, and ultimately what it means to be alive.

冰岛著名后摇乐团Sigur Ros(意为胜利的玫瑰)即将在五月份推出他们的第六张录音室大碟《Valtari》，Sigur Ros乐队上一张专辑还是2008年夏天推出的《Mee Sue í Eyrum Vie Spilum Endalaust》。
从2008年推出上张专辑之后，Sigur Ros乐队一直没有创作新作品，几位成员开始分头行动，主唱Jonsi录制了自己的第一张个人唱片《Go》，与此同时，乐队的键盘手Kjartan也录制了一张未发行的作品《Credo》。去年年底，Sigur Ros乐队在伦敦的演出现场曾被发行成为一套CD+DVD的现场专辑《Inni》。
这张《Valtari》将在5月29日正式发行，整张唱片由Sigur Ros乐队主唱Jonsi和混音师阿莱克斯-索梅尔斯(Alex Somers)一同制作，专辑中一共收录了八首歌曲，每一首歌的音乐风格都不一样。本张专辑整体的结构不像Sigur Ros以往的专辑那么统一，这主要是因为歌曲的录音时间跨越太长，其中有些歌最早是2005年录制的。
对于十分期待本张专辑的乐迷来说，现在就可以登陆Sigur Ros乐队的官方网站试听新专辑《Valtari》中的首支单曲《Ekki Mukk》。1994年，Sigur Ros乐队组建于冰岛的Reykjavík，乐队名字的含义是“胜利玫瑰”。从成立以来的近20年中，Sigur Ros已经发行了五张正式唱片，都得到了乐迷很高的评价。
专辑名翻成英文为steamroller，也就是压路机的意思，贝斯手Georg Holm解释这是种能碾压过你的音乐。不过小羽我停下来之后，更多的是感受到，又做了一场梦，很舒服。

封面中几位男女在蓝天绿野苍穹间赤裸的奔跑着，像开始着一段美丽梦幻的旅程，更像是一次向纯粹灵魂的回归。在聆听Sigur Ros这张新作品的时候，我一直在思考它究竟在表达着什么。音乐截然不同的节奏明快，显现出了风格上的重大转变。Sigur Ros已经从以往阴冷的氛围中走了出来，开始展示出他们明媚的一面。我像这张专辑也许正是通过这种明亮的感觉传递着一种纯粹的回归吧。听完这张作品之后，突然感觉内心的浮躁仿佛随着音乐彻底消散了。第五首和第七首是专辑中最打动我的曲子，依然带着他们Sigur Ros以往作品的影子，空灵般的感觉引得人心中涌出一段段回忆般思绪。让我们经历着Sigur Ros带给了我们又一次灵魂般洗礼的感动，随着他们开始一段盛夏之旅吧！
专辑原名为《Mee Sue í Eyrum Vie Spilum Endalaust》，英文翻译名为《With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly》，被充译作：苍穹耳语无尽无垠。封面选自纽约视觉艺术家Ryan McGinley名为I Know Where the Summer Goes摄影系列，欣赏过这组摄影作品之后，也深深的震撼了我。Ryan McGinley,他是纽约国际摄影协会最年轻也是最杰出的摄影师奖项得主。他的作品离不开青春这个主题，拍摄对象往往是社会上的边缘分子，构图直接，用色简单利落。Ryan McGinley代表了在Youtube和Myspace环境下成长起来的新一代年轻人，他们将自己的私密生活制作成视觉日记给大家观看。I Know Where the Summer Goes拍摄于2007年夏天，带着16个模特，三个助理，弄了4000个胶卷。
Ryan McGinley作品：

Great new album from Olafur Arnalds - a long time favourite of Rough Trade. The highly anticipated record features Ólafur’s ground-breaking new software, Stratus, which transforms the humble piano into a unique new instrument. He is currently performing his new material on a huge worldwide tour. The Stratus Pianos are two self-playing, semi-generative player pianos which are triggered by a central piano played by Ólafur, and are the centrepiece of his new works. The custom-built software is born out of two years of work by the composer and audio developer, Halldór Eldjárn. The algorithms generated from Stratus were also used to create the innovative album artwork. On the album Ólafur uses these methods reinvigorate the compositional experience, feeding back into the creative process in a completely new way. As Ólafur plays a note on the piano, two different notes are generated by Stratus, creating unexpected harmonies and surprising melodic sequences.

Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm reveal a new 7” single titled ‘Life Story Love and Glory’ following on from their recently re-issued 2012 collaborative EP ‘Stare’.
Erased Tapes artists and friends Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm have separately carved out a musical career that defies genres both with their unique live shows and a loyal fan base that’s always eager to hear what their prolific output will bring.
Their latest collaborative 2-track release ‘Life Story Love and Glory’ is a live improv affair on two pianos, recorded in 2012 at Nils’s Durton Studio in Berlin. Fans may wonder why they have waited until 2015 to release these tracks, but having revealed a new website
you may think this may not be the end to their musical story this year.
“We would meet in Reykjavik or Berlin with the intention to share some days off work, hiking, swimming or eating pizza. That is great for a couple days, but after a while we would always end up back in the studio, fiddling with synths or pianos.” – Nils Frahm.
“You can hear in the beginning of ‘Life Story’ how I have already started playing the piano whilst Nils is still moving microphones around and preparing everything. It was all kept in!“ – Ólafur Arnalds.
‘Life Story Love and Glory’ will be released as a 7” on Erased Tapes – exclusively through record stores only on August 21, 2015 ahead of its digital release later on – as an ode to this classic and beloved format.

"Iceland's best new export comes in the shape of Eulogy For Evolution!"
"If you thought Sigur Rós had the patent on hauntingly beautiful and meticulously compelling music coming out of Iceland, then Ólafur Arnalds is here to educate you otherwise. - Eulogy For Evolution is perhaps this years most hauntingly emotive sounding experience'"
冰島繼Sigur Rós、Jóhann Jóhannsson、Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson之後，地表上最罕見的動人樂章。
「Eulogy For Evolution」其實是一張非常特殊的唱片，誠如上一段介紹裡提到，Ólafur Arnalds原來在家鄉Mosfellsbær離雷克雅維克偏壤的一個小鎮上，他同時身兼多支Hardcore樂隊的鼓手職務，理應深受重型搖滾音樂的薰染甚過於古典音樂；可是在「Eulogy For Evolution」這張唱片裡，卻處處見到了半古典音樂編制，鋼琴、提琴與弦樂四重奏的鋪排架構，Ólafur Arnalds玩的是猶如Erik Satie、Claude Debussy等人深鬱的鋼琴樂曲，聽來頗有電影配樂般的壯闊景致。Ólafur Arnalds肯定會被拿來與Sigur Rós等人相作比較，無論從草創時期的音樂涉獵，亦或是其後音樂創作上從容不迫的大器，那都有無數可以比較的理由。專輯裡8首曲目全以4位數字來作為標題，看似時間又像是一套數字密碼，彷彿非得解開其背後的動機，才能完整理解Ólafur Arnalds的創作。專輯中除了3055與終幕曲3704／3837等兩首曲子適切地加入了鼓擊與電吉他的噪音聲浪，其餘6部作品均是以鋼琴、弦樂為對話，靜謐而深刻地描繪著對於環境的讚佩。
開場曲0040即是一首辨識度極高的鋼琴演奏曲，旋律非常耳熟；Ólafur Arnalds十指落於黑白琴鍵上的力量，彷彿主宰著天地宇宙，任憑他撥一片雲、淌一團霧，在哀怨苦楚的弦樂伴奏下，叫我想起的是希臘大師安哲羅普洛斯 (Theo Angelopoulos)的電影。我想若能親臨Ólafur Arnalds與弦樂隊的演出現場，一定會叫自己落淚。0048／0729在濕潤的Reverb所凝結的空間氣氛下，遠處傳來微弱的斑鳩琴的哀鳴，既深刻、亦悲楚。0952裡散落的琴音，與愁雲般的弦樂糾結在一塊，彷彿是怎麼拉扯也散不開。1440若來作為電影配樂，絕對相當契合；Ólafur Arnalds花了許多精力在鋼琴的獨奏鋪排上，總是緩慢、緩慢地勾起了一絲絲懸疑、一絲絲宏偉的史詩架構。專輯中最漫長的旅途1953，Ólafur Arnalds彷彿平復了劇烈的情緒，安分地作為故事的引導者，引領聽者一步步地踏往深處的陰極。3326突然又轉為室內樂曲，透過中、小提琴穿插排列出的層次，呈現與前6首曲子截然不同的氣氛。而終幕曲3704／3837的巧妙鋪設，Hardcore音樂、電子剪輯手法，彷彿電台司令之於 Paranoid Android，那種瘋狂、錯亂的景致，叫人愛不釋手。
多才多藝的Ólafur Arnalds也沒有完全丟下對搖滾樂的熱情，先是替友人的樂團My Summer as a Salvation Soldier擔任多項樂器伴奏，還獲邀為美國Indie-Rock樂團Cursive擔任德國巡迴演出的伴奏樂手。完全無法想像，Ólafur Arnalds這居中的多重音樂性格，哪一個才是原來的自己；又或許是性格冷漠卻喜愛尋求刺激的冰島人，的確有著異於常人的敏銳觸覺。「Eulogy For Evolution」是一張驚心動魄、具有罕見美感的音樂大製作，似乎連唱片封套設計都不敢馬虎。而唱片則交由倫敦新銳音樂廠牌Erased Tapes Records於10月29日發行。

冰岛新的年轻天才，很有涵养的Olafur Arnalds 能把古典元素融合在氛围和微电子节拍里，有Sigur Ros的味道，也有Mum的感觉。
Olafur Arnalds原来在家乡Mosfellsbaer离雷克雅维克偏壤的一个小镇上，他同时身兼多支Hardcore乐队的鼓手职务，先是替友人的乐团My Summer as a Salvation Soldier担任多项乐器伴奏，还获邀为美国Indie-Rock乐团Cursive担任德国巡回演出的伴奏乐手。Olafur Arnalds的个人音乐作品以钢琴和弦乐为主， 与其说是post-rock， 不如干脆说是modern classical。

从10月3日开始，你将可以在“Living Room Songs”网站上，每天免费下载到Ólafur Arnalds当天在自己雷克雅未克公寓客厅中创作的一首歌曲，也可以及时观看演奏视频。Living Room Songs计划总共包含7首歌曲，除了网络免费下载以外，在今年也会发行实体的CD/LP和高质量数字音乐等多种格式。
事实上，Ólafur Arnalds早在09年4月就做过类似的事情。那时他推出了“Found Songs”计划，在一周的时间内，每天推出一首歌歌曲的即时创作，并在twitter上发布免费下载，还邀请网友给每首歌进行插画创作。最终全世界有超过10万网友下载了他的歌曲，也为后来的实体专辑《Found Songs》打下了很好的基础。
这次的“Living Room Songs”计划，则在“Found Songs”的基础上，加入了客厅创作的概念，并且引入了影像的记录。减少了和歌迷之前的隔阂感，少了一些神秘，多了几分互动。