Summary

For his new album – For Now I am Winter, released on Mercury Classics – Icelandic composer and multi-instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds adds scope to his genre-crossing combination of minimal sounds and electronic touches by featuring a full orchestra and – for the first time – vocals.

Arnalds, 26, has built up a huge international following for his genre-crossing compositions, which blend classical, pop and ambient/electronica influences to create a unique musical language. He is also well known for his work on scores for film and television, where he mixes acoustic strings and piano with modern electronic sounds.

As well as touring in support of the new album, Arnalds will devote time in 2013 to projects such as writing music for the new ITV thriller series Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, as well as to the film Gimme Shelter, directed by Ron Krauss and starring Vanessa Hudgens and Brendan Fraser. Arnalds’ track “Allt Varð Hljótt” featured on the soundtrack for the major feature film The Hunger Games earlier this year.