Stafraenn Hakon - Í Ástandi Rjúpunnar
Country: U.K.Label: Resonant
Released: 29 March 2004
Genre: Post-Rock / Electronica / Ambient
Details:
2nd album was recorded, mixed and mastered at home. All songs by Stafrænn Hákon except HVÍTI HÁKARLINN & HVARF by Samuel White & Stafrænn Hákon.
Þröstur Sigurðsson played trombone on SOLUTION & IODINE.
Þóra Magga played flute on SOLUTION.
Reviews:
If you’re Icelandic, you’re probably already aware of Olafur Josephsson’s project, as his career got a large boost by opening for godspeed you black emperor! last month in Reykjavik. His “band” name translates as Digital Hakon (Hakon the Good was the king of Norway in the 10th century and has a long legacy of being name checked in numerous songs) and the music is probably the most amazingly produced CD-Rs I have ever received. A heaping serving of patience is needed as the disc opens with a gentle 8 1/2 minute piece of soft drones and sparse guitar. Over the course of nearly an hour, the music crescendos slowly, slowly, slowly. Various other instruments are added, numerous differently treated guitar sounds, un-dominating beats and rhythms, bass, long-stretched keyboard synth string sounds, pianos, and bell-like chiming things (xylophones, wind chimes or keyboard sounds, it’s hard to tell what’s real these days). Unfortunately, as is the seeming downfall of everything I’m writing about this week, there are a number of derivative elements. Sampled tirades of Jesus freaks has almost been done to death by godspeed, swirling guitar melodies echo those from the Aerial M record and chord progressions I’m hearing are strikingly similar to those overused by Mogwai and their imitators. These aren’t bad things to emulate by a long shot. If anything, more music needs to be this patient and delicate. Josephsson, however, seems like a very intuitive man, tactfully issuing this disc only as a CD-R, giving out a number of songs for free on his website, www.islandia.is/hauskupa. In essence, he’s made a silent statement that he’s here, he’s busy, but things are not quite ready just yet for a mega-super world dominating release. Pay attention to him, however, as things will happen. You can quote me on that. In the meantime, lend him an ear and I’m sure he won’t let you down.
Jon Whitney
Brainwashed
Tracklisting:
1 Solution
2 Iodine
3 Hvíti Hákarlinn
4 Hvarf
5 Afglapi
6 Vofa
7 Kul
8 Skortur
9 Bréf
