Like many of his colleagues, the corona pandemic with its lockdown provided a prime opportunity for Dustin O'Halloran to turn to introspection. O'Halloran is best known for film scores, for films like Lion (2016) and The Old Guard (2020). This album consists mainly of reworkings of earlier arrangements, plus some new compositions. The austerity radiates from it, in minimally arranged piano pieces.
Here and there a subtle electronics can be detected, or a dose of drama is added by means of string instruments. Chances are that the chilly Icelandic landscape will come to mind - this is where O'Halloran normally resides. Due to the lockdown however, he was forced to record the music in California. But Silfur can be listened to as an ode to both the peace and the beauty that Icelandic nature radiates. (JvQ)more
