Ten years after their
debut, the twosome Kiasmos, consisting of Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen, comes out with a follow-up they have conveniently named II. The duo makes minimal electronics in which neoclassical elements can be heard. The music fits almost perfectly with the vast and sometimes almost otherworldly landscape of Iceland and the Faroe Islands, respectively, where Arnalds and
… Rasmussen are from. Kiasmos' songs are meticulously constructed, with all sorts of details dissolving into the whole like drops of water. On II, minimal techno goes hand in hand with orchestral influences, as there is room for piano and string instruments in addition to synthesizers and drum computers. Arnalds and Rasmussen themselves call this album a result of their friendship and the chemistry they experience with each other. Compared to the debut, the sound is fuller and richer, but it still has the same hypnotic character. If it produces such beautiful electronica as this, waiting another decade for the third album is no punishment. (YvQ)more
