Big Hassle Media NY
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New York, NY 10005
P 212.619.1360
F 212.619.1669
Big Hassle Media LA
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Los Angeles, CA 90016
P 323.456.3490
Ólafur Arnalds
Born in 1986, Ólafur hails from the suburban Icelandic town of Mosfellsbær, just a few kilometres outside of Reykjavík. He has immersed himself completely in a world of delicate symphonic compositions generating near weightless orchestral pieces. Arnalds explores the crossover from classical to pop by mixing chamber strings and piano with discreet electronics which makes him a perfect fit for cinematic music label Erased Tapes. His motivations are clear: ‘The classical scene is kind of closed to people who haven’t been studying music all their lives. I would like to bring my classical influence to the people who don’t usually listen to this kind of music…open people’s minds.’
Through relentless touring and determination this young artist has steadily gained recognition worldwide since his 2007 debut ‘Eulogy for Evolution’. His 2008 follow-up EP ‘Variations of Static’ earned Ólafur acclaim from both the contemporary and classical field – transcending a traditional divide. He has sold out some of the world’s most renowned music venues including Barbican Hall in London and has been awarded ‘Best Live Session of 2008’ by BBC Radio 1 presenter Gilles Peterson.
Over the past eighteen months Arnalds has advanced from a former support-act for Sigur Rós to an internationally respected artists in his own right. In April 2009 Arnalds created the 7 song series ‘Found Songs’ – recording a song a day for 7 days and instantly making each track available via Twitter and the official Erased Tapes website with over 300.000 people downloading for free.
December 2009 saw the release of Ólafur’s contemporary dance score ‘Dyad 1909′, commissioned by the award-winning choreographer Wayne McGregor. The dance piece, inspired by Shackleton’s South Pole premiered at the Sadler’s Wells theatre in October 2009 and became a much talked about 5-nights of live music, dance and visuals. BBC Four, the ITV1 South Bank Show and Arte TV Europe broadcasted ‘Dyad 1909′ on primetime television.
Ólafur Arnalds’ second full-length album ‘…and they have escaped the weight of darkness’, continues his mission to lure an indie-generation of pop and rock fans into an emotive world of beguiling electronic chamber music and delicate classical arrangements. The sense of an organic crossover recording is reinforced by the involvement of co-producer Barði Jóhannsson of eccentric pop/rock/electronica-formation Bang Gang. Those expecting a mere continuation of the minimal melancholia of his previous albums are in for a surprise, as the record may be the most uplifting and richly orchestrated work of his career.
Ólafur has continued a relentless tour schedule throughout 2010 including a 30-date sell-out tour in Europe, two tours in Asia and a performance of ‘…and they have escaped the weight of darkness’ with brand new arrangements for a full orchestra in Manchester, UK. He is currently writing the score for Sam Levinson’s film ‘Another Happy Day’ starring Ellen Barkin, Kate Bosworth, Ellen Burstyn, Demi Moore and George Kennedy. Ólafur Arnalds will attend the film’s premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2011 a day before setting out on a 12-date US Tour, followed by a sold-out London show at The Tabernacle on February 7, 2011.
The new album ‘…and they have escaped the weight of darkness’ is out now on Erased Tapes Records.
Best Live Session of 2008 – BBC Radio 1 Gilles Peterson show
‘Precocious Nordic composer’s sumptuous second LP … Timeless and sublime’ **** – UNCUT
‘An artist of immense maturity’ (9/10) – Drowned In Sound
‘Hotwired to the soul. …will reduce you to wordless tears’ – The Quietus
‘This set’s effortless poise elevates him to the genre’s upper echelons’ – BBC Music
‘Meticulous… uplifting and richly orchestrated… peopled with languorous ladies climbing through ice filled caverns’ – Clash
‘Arnalds’ boldest and most ambitious take… the robust yet ethereal, mid-tempo tearjerker
…And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness is a success for the composer’ (7.0) – Pitchfork
‘Tenderly rendered puffs of ambient distress’ **** – SPIN
‘Keep an eye on Arnalds. He will only increase in importance’ (86%) – Filter
‘Mature, modern explorations of life and its unexpected joys, rendering Arnalds increasingly visible’ Best of What’s Next – Paste Magazine
‘In the growing canon of “home classical” works, Arnalds has added another benchmark’ – Exclaim!
Ólafur Arnalds Another Happy Day Soundtrack
(Erased Tapes) Release Date: Feb 28th, 2012
Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds made his Hollywood debut last year after scoring Sam Levinson‘s Another Happy Day, the award-winning feature film starring Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, Ezra Miller and more. Erased Tapes is now pleased to announce the worldwide release of the film’s soundtrack, which fans can now pre-order on CD, vinyl, and download at the Erased Tapes website.
“In mid-December 2010 I was on a holiday in China when I received an email from Sam Levinson about the film. We got on the phone at like 4 in the morning Beijing time and ended up talking all through the night, instantly connecting. He told me that they had been listening to my music while making the film, so the film was already very influenced by my music.
However, it was not until Ellen Barkin – the beautiful force that she is – had pestered the producers for a week, calling them every day about how I am the right one for this film, that they finally gave in. The only catch was that it had to be done two weeks later, in the first week of January. So I ended up scoring nonstop all throughout Christmas, making my mother mad in the process.” - Ólafur Arnalds
Ólafur Arnalds also recently released Living Room Songs, a series in October where he created and released one new song per day, for one whole week. Inviting the audience into the comfort of his Reykjavik apartment, he recorded the songs live and filmed whole process. Living Room Songs is out now on CD, vinyl, ltd. special edition CD & DVD).
‘A strong ear for proportion…as if a single misplaced sound could trigger a collapse.’ – Pitchfork
‘Arnalds’ game is more ambience than transcendence…all the more cinematic.’ **** – SPIN
‘Keep an eye on Arnalds. He will only increase in importance.’ – FILTER
Another Happy Day Soundtrack
1. The Land Of Nod
2. Through The Screen
3. Before The Calm
4. Lynn’s Theme
5. Alice Enters
6. The Wait
7. A Family Stroll
8. Poland
9. Out To Sea
10. Autumn Day
11. Everything Must Change
Ólafur Arnalds Living Room Songs (Erased Tapes)
‘Keep an eye on Arnalds. He will only increase in importance.’ – FILTER
‘Arnalds’ game is more ambience than transcendence…all the more cinematic.’ **** – SPIN
‘A strong ear for proportion…as if a single misplaced sound could trigger a collapse.’ – Pitchfork
Following in the spirit of Ólafur Arnalds‘ 2009 critically acclaimed ‘Found Songs‘ where he wrote, recorded, and released a free song every day for 7 days, in October he took the idea further, inviting the audience into the comfort of his Reykjavik living room. The Icelandic composer wrote one song a day recording them live and filming whole process. The songs were instantly released in form of a free mp3 download and video stream- straight from his Reykjavik apartment. In December a full-length version of the series aired followed by a live interactive chat with Arnalds and his fans. A collection of these ‘Living Room Songs’ is now out on (CD/Vinyl/High Quality Digital Version as well as Special Edition CD & DVD). Fans can already pre-order it from the Erased Tapes online store – (erasedtapes.com/store/index/ERATP037)
‘One night I was just playing my piano here in this apartment and I was writing a new song and I didn’t have my phone on me which I usually use to record ideas. So I actually took out my MacBook and I didn’t want to open like a proper recording program, so I just opened Photo Booth and recorded a video of myself playing the song so that I would remember the song. And I really liked the atmosphere of that video and that’s when I thought I should do a series of songs in my living room…” – Ólafur Arnalds
Arnalds also made his Hollywood debut last year after scoring Sam Levinson‘s Another Happy Day, the award-winning feature film starring Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth, Ezra Miller and more. Erased Tapes is now pleased to announce the worldwide release of the film’s soundtrack due out on February 28th.
TRACKLISTING
Day I: Fyrsta
Day II: Near Light
Day III: Film Credits
Day IV: Tomorrow’s Song
Day V: Ágúst
Day VI: Lag fyrir Ömmu
Day VII: This Place is a Shelter
Keep an eye on Arnalds. He will only increase in importance.’- FILTER
Ólafur Arnalds has also released Living Room Songs, a series in October where he created and released one new song per day, for one whole week. Inviting the audience into the comfort of his Reykjavik apartment, he recorded the songs live and filmed whole process. In December a full-length version of the series aired followed by a live interactive chat with Ólafur and his fans. Living Room Songs is out now on CD, vinyl, ltd. special edition CD & DVD). Instantly watch the videos or order a physical copy of the release here.
Another Happy Day Soundtrack
1. The Land Of Nod
2. Through The Screen
3. Before The Calm
4. Lynn’s Theme
5. Alice Enters
6. The Wait
7. A Family Stroll
8. Poland
9. Out To Sea
10. Autumn Day
11. Everything Must Change
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Living Room Songs - Cover Art
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Another Happy Day - Album Art
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Another Happy Day - Poster