ÁSGEIR
NEW ALBUM ‘AFTERGLOW’ OUT TODAY VIA ONE LITTLE INDIAN (UK) / COLUMBIA RECORDS (US)
ROUNDHOUSE HEADLINE SHOW ANNOUNCED
16th October 2017
TICKETS HERE
“The eerie Underneath It, the gently throbbing I Know You Know and the glitch Unbound will appeal to fans of Bon Iver and James Blake”
The Sunday Times
“Afterglow is an absolute treat for the ears, with chattering electronic melodies, glitchy stop-start sections, and warm synth swells.”
Metro
“This latest release looks to pave the way for global domination.”
NOWNESS
“A taut and gleaming piece of electro-pop, R&B-smooth keys creating a reflective pool off which Ásgeir’s shimmering vocals bounce.”
Consequence of Sound
“There's a tight-knit intimacy and soulfulness to the album that feels familial and warm, even as the music itself carries a glacial chill. There's nothing conventional or expected about Afterglow, an album that submerges all ego and blissfully loses itself in oceanic imagery and crystalline soundscapes. At the same time, the songs are instantly familiar, like old friends, departed loves, or bittersweet remembrances.”
NPR
“Wonderful moments such as the chaotic creativity of “Here Comes The Wave In”, the bold ballad “New Day” and the elegiac “Hold”
Uncut
“Asgeir became the toast of Iceland with his gorgeous debut album…he’s returning with an edgier, electronic element to his sound”
Evening Standard
“Gorgeous trip-hop piece where he parallels the vocal stylings of Justin Vernon and the darkness of James Blake”
The Observer
“An exciting example of what’s to come, the Icelandic superstar is set to go global.”
Wonderland
Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ásgeir today releases his sophomore record, Afterglow on One Little Indian (UK) / Columbia Records (US). The monumental album is surely a career-defining moment for the musician, who’s follow up to debut album ‘In The Silence’ is greatly anticipated by fans worldwide. The musician has also announced an October headline show at London’s infamous Roundhouse, with tickets on sale now.
The Icelandic artist has spent three years honing and perfecting the eleven tracks that make up this magnificent and affecting body of work – Afterglow has all the confident hallmarks of an artist who’s now at home with his status as one of music’s most exciting new voices. “I consider myself lucky to have been able to go around the world with my friends to play,” he says. “Before touring I had only been to Sweden and Denmark. Now I don’t even remember where I have been or where I have not been.” That globe-trotting wisdom is keenly felt on Afterglow, which ambitiously balances icy electronic shades of Bon Iver, James Blake and Anohni with soul, R&B and even gospel influences from different eras and places.
The album leaves behind the folk-tinged acoustics of 2014 debut album ‘In The Silence’ and dives into melancholic electronica in its purest form. The spell-binding artist has also once again collaborated with producer Guðmundur Kristinn Jónsson and his father – renowned poet Einar Georg Einarsson – for ‘Afterglow’, who is credited with writing the lyrics for the album alongside long-time musical collaborators, Ásgeir’s brother Thorsteinn and Julius Robertsson.
Talking about ‘Afterglow’, Ásgeir said: "I feel like I have achieved plenty already with this album, gotten to know myself better, feel like I’ve grown a lot. Not just because of the album, but it has definitely helped."
Winner of the 2012 Album of the Year at the Icelandic Music Awards, ‘In The Silence’ sold so many copies that it is estimated one-tenth of the population now owns that release. (BBC Radio 2 host, Dermot O'Leary, once tested this theory out, calling a random number in the Icelandic phonebook – the woman who answered not only owned a copy, but Ásgeir’s mother had taught her son at school.) The ubiquity of the album (entitled Dýrð í dauðaþögn in Iceland) also caught the attention of musician John Grant, who immediately recognised Ásgeir's musical talent and ended up translating the lyrics into English for the international version of the album.
The introverted and humble artist couldn’t have predicted the immensity of his success off the back of ‘In The Silence’ – coming from the Icelandic town of Laugarbakki, populated by just 40 people. The same year, Ásgeir sold out two shows at Sydney Opera House, one at Shepard’s Bush Empire and played a mesmerising show at London’s Union Chapel, which sold out months in advance. The album became the fastest selling debut from a home grown artist in Iceland, breaking all previous records and outselling Björk and Sigur Ros by a long way. At just 20 years of age, Ásgeir had become an overnight sensation.
Afterglow tracklisting:
1. Afterglow
2. Unbound
3. Stardust
4. Here Comes The Wave In
5. Underneath It
6. Nothing
7. I Know You Know
8. Dreaming
9. New Day
10. Fennir yfir
11. Hold
