Iceland is an isolated island of a country, set adrift off the northwestern edges of Europe. There are about 300,000 people in this country that is roughly the size of the state of Kentucky. Perhaps it's the isolation, or perhaps it's the low density of souls, but everyone there seems to be involved in holing themselves up long enough to make really interesting music.
The Icelandic music scene really came to prominence in the 1980s with the emergence of The Sugarcubes, led by pre-solo artist Bjork. Since then we've had the pleasure of also experiencing Bjork, Gus Gus, Sigur Ros, Mum, and a slew of other artists who seem gloriously unaffected by the popular music trends running rampant in the rest of the world.
Ex-Gus Gus frontman Daníel Ágúst is one of the latest to emerge from this cultural collective, and in what is becoming typical Icelandic fashion, has created an intriguing and unique album. Swallowed A Star is his first effort as a solo artist, and is quite a departure from his previous band's blend of house, downtempo, and hipster lounge music. Instead of exploring the various synthesized clubs of the city, Ágúst seems to be taking a very leisurely stroll in the woods, as well as channeling a much more introspective artistic voice.
Swallowed A Star will probably appeal most to fans of later Talk Talk, as well as some of Mum's output. Arrangement leans more on the sparse side of things, and instrumentation is focused more on live sounds, although augmented by various electronic effects. It's not surprising through the course of the album to find a small chamber ensemble of strings and winds taking the place of a traditional "band". This also serves the mood of the music better, as it is much more organic in nature.
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1 - Connie Phillips
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