Ólöf Arnalds needs a Friend

Ólöf Arnalds needs a Friend

21 November, 2011
by: Domzig

Who knew being a singer-songwriter could be so hard?

It might be the glaciers, the ash clouds, or the fact that nothing really happens there, but something about Iceland makes everyone who lives there awesome at making wonderful, atmospheric music. From Bjork’s finely tuned electro-pop to Sigur Ros’ soaring indie rock, almost every band that comes from this lonely, wintery island stuck out in the North Atlantic is able to marry pop sensibilities with indie credibility with the skill of an oil painter.

First gaining the western world’s attention as a member of Múm back in the early 2000s, Ólöf Arnalds is a veteran of Reykjavik’s vibrant indie scene. A long-time collaborator with Stórsveit Nix Noltes, Mugison, Slowblow and Skúli Sverrisson, this multi-instrumentalist draws on her background in classical music to eke out soothing and elegant indie folk.

Although often compared to the likes of Vashti Bunyan, Judee Sill and Kate Bush, her approach to making music is highly unique. Singing almost exclusively in her native tongue and often using nothing more than a guitar, charango and a voice that could cut glass, her sound teeters precariously between being playful and accessible whilst at same time remaining deeply personal . To say she is a back-to-basics Joanna Newsom is putting it lightly.

Releasing her long-awaited second album back at the tail end of 2010, Ólöf has spent the last 12 months honing her skills through a series of huge tours, which have seen her play stages as far afield as New York and Sydney (whilst visiting almost every indie club in Europe, going by her Last.fm page). In fact the only break she’s had all year was to release a double-A sided single, and a mini-album of covers earlier this month. It brings her own distinct style to songs by Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond and Johnny Cash and it’s worth picking up for her versions of ‘I’m On Fire’ and Arthur Russell’s ‘Close My Eyes’ alone.

Ólöf Arnalds - With Tomorrow / I'm On Fire by One Little Indian Records

Iceland is such a tiny country. Why does so much cool music come from there?

I don’t know. I think we have the advantage of not having a super long cultural history, and that definitely gives you quite a bit of freedom to make up exactly what Icelandic music is.

I do think that it’s become almost mystical in the last few years though, it’s almost seems like acts can come straight out of Reykjavik and almost be automatically popular just because of where they’re from. It really shouldn’t be like that: hard-working musicians exist everywhere, it’s just that some of them don’t get the recognition they deserve because of the country or town they live in. It’s like nationality has dwarfed effort recently...

Yeah, it’s not like one country is more talented than others, it’s just that Iceland get’s a lot of the attention at the moment...

Yes, and in some ways it’s almost unfair. Why should a band from Iceland be popular just because people are interested in the glaciers and the nature or whatever? It’s not like every band here is making records about geysers and snow-fields, just in the same way bands from America aren’t all making music about truck-stops and shopping malls.

For me, it’s almost become a quest to prove to myself that my music has worth regardless of where I come from.

What was the thinking behind releasing a covers album?

These songs have been with me for a period of time and I’ve played them many, many times, so I was thinking of expanding the repertoire and trying out a few more cover songs. But before I did that I really wanted to record the ones I already perform as a way of almost taking a picture of them before I let them go. It’s nice to have a document like that.

Have you heard any good covers of your own songs?

Errmmm, not yet, no. I hope to. This is the gauntlet being thrown down!

So it’s true that you tour and perform completely alone. Don’t you miss being in a band?

It definitely gets a bit lonely, yes. It’s good practice playing on your own for an hour or so – that takes some mental stamina, but it does get quite lonely constantly travelling by yourself all the time. I think for the next record I may tour with a small group of two or three people; it’ll be nice to play with a thicker sound, and it’s always cool when you can share the experience of playing live with other people.

It must be depressing visiting all those bars and clubs by yourself...

Ha ha ha, I’ve definitely had quite a few ‘alone’ dinners. They must look quite sad...

I bet! You must spend half the time looking like you’ve been stood up?

That’s probably why I don’t like spending a lot of times in bars alone. I’d much prefer to have a glass of wine in the hotel room or at least try and find a friend. There’s nothing worse than being in a bar by yourself, you look like some crazy person who’s dropped in from nowhere.

Who knew being a singer-songwriter could be so hard?

Exactly!

Ólöf Arnalds plays two shows at St Pancras Old Church this week. Check her out over on the One Little Indian website.

Domzig