Ólafur Arnalds – Some Kind Of Peace

The internationally acclaimed BAFTA winner and Emmy nominee Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds is considered the "superstar of contemporary instrumental music" thanks to his masterful blend of symphonic strings and piano with subtle electronica. (Financial Times) His post-minimalist compositions of haunting, atmospheric beauty were last heard on a highly acclaimed world tour with over 140 concerts. While Ólafur's last highly acclaimed album "re: member" was a technological triumph with his groundbreaking, self-playing Stratus pianos, his new album "some kind of peace" takes him in a completely different, more personal direction. "some kind of peace" is about what it means to be alive, to dare and to be vulnerable.

It is a personal journey, told through Ólafur's most introspective music to date, against the background of a world plunged into chaos. On the album, he uses real pieces of his life story, masterfully employing sampling techniques to open a window into his experiences for the listener. In addition to Ólafur Arnalds himself, the album also features friendly musicians such as the British musician Bonobo, the Icelandic singer and multi-instrumentalist JFDR and the German singer-songwriter Josin. "All of these people were part of my life at that point, or with me in the experiences that influenced the album," he explains. "It would be strange to write such a personal album and not include my friends." With "some kind of piece", Ólafur Arnalds calls on us to accept life with all its facets, to let go of the way it is, and above all to react and think in order to find our personal inner peace. His stunning new album would definitely be the right place to start.