Olof Arnalds
(One Little Indian)
Yet another Icelandic portal to the musical great beyond, Olof Arnalds's voice is mysteriously evocative. Accompanied mostly by her own rippling guitar or charrango (a ukelele-like instrument), the Mum member sings with a clarity that's both illuminating and a bit chilly. Vid Og Vid, her first solo album, is a small, crystalline pleasure.
Arnalds's music is less self-consciously eclectic is that of other notable Icelandic popsters. Most of these 11 songs sound like traditional folk tunes, not dissimilar to the British ones more familiar to American listeners. There are modest deviations from the formula: Arnalds plays koto, a large Japanese zither, on "Orfeus og Evrides," a track that also features a mournful trumpet. She also adds violin and viola occasionally, and drum on "Klara," the most outgoing of these songs.
Released in her homeland in 2007, Vid Og Vid arrives in the U.S. in a pretty but not especially illuminating package. Her label, One Little Indian, has included an Icelandic lyric sheet rather than English translations. Since the album's principal attraction is Arnalds's plaintive, precise alto, it would be helpful to know what she's singing about. Even the simple "la-las" of the album's title track offer modest emotional access, suggesting that this music would seem warmer if its lyrics hadn't been kept secret.
Standout Tracks: "Orfeus og Evrides," "Klara" MARK JENKINS
