Style:
Folk/ Singer-songwriting
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Vid og Vid             (12T041 - 2007)

'Timeless Troubadour...'

Ólöf Arnalds is a young and brilliantly talented artist, who now releases her much anticipated solo debut ’Vid og Vid’ on 12 Tónar.

’Vid og Vid’ is an intimate and evocative collection of songs which in melody and lyrics varies from a charming naivety to more complex and entangled expressions. Arnalds tells personal tales with a tender voice and leaves the impression of a classic troubadour with clear associations to early freak-folkers like Vashti Bunyan and Judee Sill or todays Joanna Newsom.

Ólöf Arnalds has in spite of her young age been active on the Icelandic experimental scene for many years, and in collaboration with Mugison, Slowblow, Kitchen Motors, and Nix Noltes. What few people know is that she has supported electronica virtuosos of Múm on stage since 2003. Múm has now gone into a new phase including Ólöf Arnalds as a vital act on violin, viola, guitar, and vocals. On Skúli Sverrisson’s critically acclaimed release ’Sería’, Arnalds also plays an important role, singing her own lyrics on three songs as well as playing no less than guitar, viola, charango, koto, and glass. The album won Best Alternative Album at Iceland Music Awards 2006.

With ’Vid og Vid’ Ólöf Arnalds has now taken her first steps in a solo carrier that we expect so much from. Her talent not only reveals itself in the variety of the instruments she masters, but also in her beautiful labyrinthine songwriting and mesmerizing solo performances.

After playing more gigs in her home country and later performing in Denmark, Canada and Italy, she released her debut in Iceland in March ’07 – a limited special edition which already sold out. In August ’07 the album will hit Scandinavia and Europe respectively through 12 Tónar Distribution and Cargo.

The album is guested by Skúli Sverrisson amongst others; produced by Kjartan Sveinsson from Sigur Rós, and recorded in the Sigur Rós studio Sundlaugin and Vidistadakirkju.

In 2007 'Vid og Vid' was chosen Record of the Year by Iceland's biggest daily newspaper Morgunbladid, accompanied by the following words:

"On 'Vid og Vid' Ólöf Arnalds opens her heart and lets us in. The music is delicate but never pretentious, the lyrics are tender and the performance altogether prominent, especially the broken vocals. An incredible emotional and warm record which is sure to leave its traces." (Morgunbladid)

PRESS
"...the atmosphere on ‘Vid og Vid’ is precious… and has a unique Icelandic feeling."  Morgunbladid (5/5)

"...Ólöf's songs are charming, playful, childish, intimate and yet confused... A wonderful cd, a remarkable debut." Nordische Musik (5/6)

”It’s an intricate and esoteric album, but also genuinly touching.” Soundvenue (4/6)

Diskant.dk (8/10)

Undertoner.dk (4,5 /6)