A Little Piece of Spring

Global warming aside, the thawing of the snow and ice come early spring is usually welcomed as a good sign. A shift from the grey, cold and forlorn view to the fresh green, clear delicate water ebbing joy that washes over stones and forests like an exuberant wave of bliss. Hope made into sight and sound.

That's how I feel by the end of the wonderful week long 'Found Songs' project by Iceland's Ólafur Arnalds. It should be listened to in order, as each piece, created daily (with some history behind it), also fits and develops the former and anticipates the latter. By the last one, "Ljósið", though saddened by the project's end and by the blue atmosphere the pieces inspire, something shines and dawns. Spring coming is the most obvious metaphor, but I suspect it can also be termed in much more personal images; to each his/her own.

This is also an opportunity to further explore this fascinating young artist, including his past releases: the debut LP Eulogy for Evolution and the following Variations of Static EP. They can also be bought on the Erased Tapes label store.

Check out Ólafur Arnalds on MySpace and last.fm for more great tracks and gigs info. The 'Found Songs' project can be downloaded here.

Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið {MP3} (from 'Found Songs') For the full appreciation and experience, I recommend downloading and playing by order all 7 pieces.

Bonus: A live performance of "Himininn er ad hrynja, en stjörnurnar fara pér vel" (Ólafur translates it) from Variations of Static. The video was produced by Iceland Airwaves podcast, a must for Icelandic music lovers.