On February 9, 2018, Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson died lonely in his Berlin apartment. Jóhannsson, who mainly wrote film music in addition to his own albums, turned 49. His Hollywood star was still rising; he had just started the music for his first Disney movie. Englabörn & Variations, the first work to be published after his death, has the allure of a posthumous tribute. But
… Jóhannsson has still overseen this edition, as evidenced by the notes in the accompanying booklet. It contains a remaster of his first album , supplemented by a CD with reinterpretations of prominent colleagues such as and . Englabörn, which originally appeared in 2002, has not lost any of its power, with its tranquil atmosphere, thin strings, alienating choirs and ritual percussion. Variations is a beautiful crown on this and makes this re-release more than special. (MR)more
