Ólafur Arnalds: Eulogy for Evolution 2017 – Icelandic composer goes back in time

Released 10 years ago, written by Icelandic neo-classical composer/producer Ólafur Arnalds when he was in his teens, Eulogy For Evolution debuted a compositional talent that aligned itself with other practitioners of the form such as Jóhann Jóhannsson and Max Richter. While you wouldn't necessarily glean it from listening, the music references the passage of time – the lifespan of a human being, no less. There are also no narrative clues in the track titles (which are numbers instead of text), so it's up to the music to tell whatever tale you yourself wish to hear.

This reissue, which coincides with Arnalds’s 30th birthday, sees the music revised and remixed (by Arnalds himself) and remastered (by Nils Frahm). Casual listeners could not, you’d safely bet, tell the difference, but one thing is certain: the delicate, immersive music connects Arvo Pärt with Sigur Rós, and that’s brilliant enough for this listener.

[ olafurarnalds.com ]