Ólafur Arnalds
LateNightTales
Release Date: Jun 24, 2016
Genre(s): Electronic, Ambient, Techno, Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Indie Electronic, Experimental Techno, Neo-Classical
Record label: LateNightTales
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Album Review: LateNightTales by Ólafur Arnalds
Great, Based on 3 Critics
Based on rating 8/10
It makes perfect sense that hot on the heels of Nils Frahm’s excellent entry into this series comes one from his frequent musical sparring, Ólafur Arnalds.Together the pair have made ambient and classical music super hot in recent years, but here the Icelander shows a different side, and one that finds common ground between moody techno and bass as much as the experimental instrumentals he is celebrated for.In what is - incredibly, given the cohesion of it all - his first ever proper mix, the man who won a BAFTA for his soundtrack to Broadchurch stitches his own sombre and beatless exclusives into rainy, greyscale pop, intimate ambient and frosty bass like it ain’t no thing beautiful. .
Based on rating 8/10
With his star very much ascendant, Olafur Arnalds seems like an excellent choice for the latest Late Night Tales compilation, particularly as his mix happens to follow on from that of his friend and frequent collaborator Nils Frahm. His work with the Berlin-based musician is just one facet of Arnalds’ career: he’s made three critically acclaimed studio albums, won a BAFTA for his work on ITV’s Broadchurch, and teamed up with Janus Rasmussen to wow techno enthusiasts and festival crowds alike with their electronic side-project, Kiasmos. With Arnalds himself describing his mix as 'the soundtrack of my life', it’s not surprising that much of his past work is touched upon here, either directly or indirectly.
Based on rating 6/10
Ólafur Arnalds' installment of the LateNightTales mix series is typically eclectic and unpredictable, functioning as a dreamlike collage geared for after-hours listening rather than the average mix CD intended to replicate a club DJ's set. As with most artists who are approached to create a volume of the series, neo-classical composer Arnalds is from far outside the world of DJ culture, so his mix has a much different sense of pacing than one by a typical DJ. It starts out with a very grainy recording of an Icelandic folk tune before shifting into the weightless, ethereal vocals of Julianna Barwick.
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