aaamusic | On 17, Feb 2011

‘(Innundir Skinni) was strong enough to transcend elfin clichés: folksy rather than ethereal, and with an elaborate flow that recalled Joanna Newsom.’

Uncut 50 Best Albums Of 2010′

She plucks and picks her way around harps, guitars and all manner of acoustic backing, her celestial freak-folk voice bewitching the listener.Andy Fyfe, Q
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Like much here, the title track boasts a serpentine, almost Dylanesque vocal melody and a dreamy, murmured chorus  and can’t help but ooze wonderstruck charm. Heart-melting’**** David Sheppard, Mojo

‘Impossible not be charmed by Arnalds’ gentle, peculiar and powerful music’ 8.0 Pitchfork

‘Navigating melody, melancholy and joy like Joanna Newsom’s little sister. A fine find.’Kevin Harley, The Independent

‘Hypnotically beautiful, Innundir skinni is totally beguiling and one of the most original sounding albums of recent months.’ Dave Haslam, R2
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G’entle, vocally pure and warmly whimsical, Arnalds creates beguilingly pretty folk lullabies’ Bernadette McNulty, Daily Telegraph
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The delicate, music-box qualities of Innundir Skinni delight’ **** Adam Woods, Mail On Sunday
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Magical,a beacon of beauty’ 8/10 John Freeman, Clash Magazine

Taken from her recent Innundir skinni album, Ólöf announces the release of ‘Surrender’, featuring Bjork, as a single on 7th March. It is backed with a new song ‘Instants’, a re-working of a Skúli Sverrisson instrumental track that Ólöf contributed lyrics to.

You can stream ‘Surrender’ via Soundcloud  here

Innundir skinni enjoyed huge and unanimous critical acclaim, Mojo magazine venturing a Rising piece while Q Magazine named Ólöf as one of the Most Exciting People In Music in their October issue. Major features followed in The Guardian, Stool Pigeon, Clash, and at the end of the year, Innundir skinni appeared in Uncut magazine’s 50 Best Albums Of 2010.The album is also now one of 12 nominees for the prestigious Nordic Music Prize.

The esoteric, primal video for Surrender was premiered at Pitchfork in November. You can watch it here

Ólöf explains, ‘This video was directed by Arni & Kinski. We were keen for the location not to look specific to Iceland and found a perfect spot in Iceland’s Þingvellir National Park. The piece was shot sequentially on Super 8 on what turned into an extremely cold and rainy day. I think the challenging weather conditions took the video to an interesting place, adding intensity and darkness. The video features choreography by Damien Jalet and Erna Ómarsdóttir and as it was my first experience with dance, it required Damien and I to practice routines and inserts for a couple of hours each day for two weeks leading up to the shoot.

Following dates in Australia (opening for Grinderman) & Europe, Ólöf returns briefly to the UK for an intimate show at The Vortex on Tuesday 1st March. Tickets are available here or on 0844 4771000

Produced by Sigur Ros’ Kjartan Sveinsson and Davíð Þór Jónsson, the follow up to 2007’s debut Við og Við, Innundir skinni features contributions from Bjork, Skúli Sverrisson (Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed), Shahzad Ismaily (Tom Waits, Plastic Ono Band, Bonnie “Prince” Billy), María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir (Amiina) and Ragnar Kjartansson. http://www.myspace.com/olofarnalds

Watch Ólöf’s interview and performance for The Strand (BBC World Service)