Asgeir: Into the Silence

An album originally recorded in Icelandic, with lyrics by the singer's elderly father, now translated for an English-language release with the help of American musician John Grant: it all sounds intriguing – on paper. There's no question mark over 20-year-old Ásgeir Trausti Einarsson's musicianship or vocal ability, which is a particularly tender instrument when layered on King and Cross and Was There Nothing?. Yet the folky, toe-tapping elements of Into the Silence make it barely distinguishable from the glut of his more drab folk-pop contemporaries, even with the trumpet-supplemented slow build of the title track and the euphoric swell of drums on Torrent. The ruminative electronica of Going Home and the jittery Higher leave traces of potential in their wake, confirming that Ásgeir's next album ought to forgo the silence and shout a little louder. asgeirmusic.com
Download: King and Cross, Going Home