Collection 4 THE NORTH

ÓLÖF: English is not that far away from me, because my mother is
born and raised in England and most of my extended family on her
side only speak English, although her parents were from Iceland. I’ve
played in very many different countries and always felt that I could
easily communicate the emotional content of my music without people
understanding the words. This time I strongly felt that I wanted people
to understand the words as well. It’s a different way of communicating
with an audience. Especially live. The challenge of writing in English
was also fun for me.
KALTBLUT: Your song writing is often like story telling. Did you
enjoy tales from your country as a child?
ÓLÖF: I was mad about the Brother Grim fairytales. I knew less
about Icelandic tales.
KALTBLUT: Our latest issue is based all around the theme “ICE-
LANDS” – Do you feel coming from such a cold place changes
the sensitivity in your music making?
ÓLÖF: I prefer cold to heat because I feel like I can think better when
it’s cold. I also tolerate cold very well. The good thing about the cold
in Iceland is the dry air, so you can always dress for it. I actually lived
in Berlin for one winter as I was planning to study there then I took
a different path and went to the Icelandic Art Academy… but that
damp main land cold, that was really something else! No matter how
much clothing you were wearing, it always crept to your bones.
KALTBLUT: That’s true! Well Iceland seems like such amazing
place to visit, even with that cold. What do you like (or dislike!)
most about your native land?
ÓLÖF: I think the water, the air and the natural resources make
Iceland very unique. I also like how the community is very much
about self sufficiency and getting by rather than having the precise
right person do each individual task. It makes every process (especially
creative ones) much more interesting. Poor infrastructure is the only
downside of this arrangement, but people‘s ability to work unselfishly
and extremely hard to get things done fast makes up for it.
KALTBLUT: I was reading an article recently about how governments
in Scandinavia and surrounding countries actively support
art and music. Do you think this could be a reason why so much
unusual new music is being created there? Have you had any experience
of that during your career?
ÓLÖF: When I was more an upcoming artist I had a lot of access
to grants and financial support, which was very helpful. Grants in
Iceland seem to be more aimed to fresh blood though, so usually this is
a luxury that does not last long. It is interesting, because when you are
no longer just starting out but in the period of emerging as an artist
that could potentially become fully established internationally, that is
the time when you need the most support. I think the growth of Scandinavian
music has a lot to do with the life quality, safety and options
that young people in these countries have. Not that I want to undervalue
the purely artistic/cultural aspect of this increased musical activity.
KALTBLUT: So I guess music was a big part of your life growing
up, was your whole family musical?
ÓLÖF: Yes, on both sides.
KALTBLUT: Your cousin Ólafur Arnalds is also a well-known neoclassical
composer, do you ever work with him musically?
ÓLÖF: Not yet, we would both be happy to collaborate, maybe the
difference in style and output might have had an effect of us not getting
to do so yet.
48
KALTBLUT: Even so in your previous two albums you’ve collaborated
with the likes of Björk and Kjartan Sveinsson (Sigur Rós) How did that
come about?
ÓLÖF: It’s all through friendship and inspiration. I’m lucky that those people
have been so supportive and interested in my work.
KALTBLUT: Perhaps this is a silly question considering the facts above..
but if you could work with any other musician in the world who would
it be?
ÓLÖF: I think Skúli Sverrisson and I are just beginning, even though we’ve
worked on each other’s music for 12 years. I’ve only spent one day experimenting
with Cyril Atef and the dynamic between the three of us was quite
extraordinary. Us as a trio is all I can dream about at the moment.
KALTBLUT: I love the music video for “Surrender”, it reflects your
sound perfectly, has your music ever been used in a film before?
ÓLÖF: Only very small, individual films. I would love to do some new
work for film, since my relationship and understanding of music is very
visual.
KALTBLUT: It seems like you prefer to play smaller acoustic sets as
opposed to a big live set up on stage, would you agree?
ÓLÖF: It has been a great practice for me to play so much alone, because it
has made me a lot stronger as a performer. It is very economical as well. For
me it’s becoming lonely and one sided now. So this time around I will be
joined on stage by Skúli Sverrisson and Cyril Atef. Both amazing musicians
that I really look forward creating a new live experience with for my
audience.
KALTBLUT: What about your experience touring with Múm, how did
it compare playing with them as opposed to your solo project?
ÓLÖF: Touring with Múm was a good school. I learned my way around
the stage and the technical things (although that is still a bit of an Achilles
heel for me). I had very free hands when creating my parts and improvised,
which was good practise. It was also just such a great adventure for a young
person to experience all this touring, the friendship, playfulness and fun.
KALTBLUT: How much do you feel your music has progressed since
your first release?
ÓLÖF: I think this new record is my best so far, it somehow feels to me as
a manifestation of my musical language in a resolution that is much higher
than I’ve reached before. The first record was very clear and fragile at the
same time since it was my debut. Somehow I feel that Innundir Skinni (the
one in the middle) suffered a bit from lack of clarity, due to the long period
and various collaborators. Skúli Sverrisson has an exceptional understanding
of my voice as an artist, so to be able to work with him this intensively (that
is non stop for 2 weeks) was life changing for me as a composer and a singer.
KALTBLUT: So what are your plans for the Spring, have you got a tour
planned out already? We hope to see you play live sometime!
ÓLÖF: Everything is in the making, and I can’t wait to get back on the
road. And I will be coming to Germany for sure!
KALTBLUT: To close, can you share with us one of your most treasured
memories of such an intriguing musical career?
ÓLÖF: I’d say singing an Icelandic rhyme off microphone as a “zugabe” in
the Sidney Opera house.
Thank you so much for the lovely interview! We wish you all the best
with your new album and the year ahead.