Hells, this has been one hell-uva year for music. However, once in a while and notably more frequently of late, there are songs that weave instantly into your soundscape and precede to penetrate your inner core. Songs that by simply starting, let the heart beat just a little faster and the hairs on your arm raise just a little higher. Icelandic folk-rock Ásgeir‘s latest single ‘Torrent’ is the current culprit of said affections.
Raised in Laugarbakki (say that fast three times) this village has but only, 80 inhabitants! Seemingly, the same amount of people that just visited my local coffee spot in the last half hour. Hard to believe that at only 20 years old, he’s creating music that is seemingly ‘wiser’ and full of delicious depth. The September release of ‘Dyrd í dauðathogn’ has actually become the fastest selling debut album by a homegrown musician (surpassing Bjork and Sigur Ros). I’ve mentioned we’re all deep down purveyors of the melancholy. He lets us in quite gently, in an awe-inspiring contemporary set of electro elements concurrent with a unique vocal range.
Don’t stop at ‘Torrent’, carry on into his world with ‘King and Cross‘ too. I’m afraid I could stay ‘here’ for a while.