Music > Album Reviews

Asgeir // In The Silence

26/02/14

Released 27th January 2014

Asgeir // In The Silence One Little Indian

Asgeir Trausti Einarsson’s debut album "Dyro i Dauoabogn" is the biggest selling debut album in his home country of Iceland, with one in ten Icelanders owning it. "In The Silence" is the English language version, with lyrics translated by Reykjavik resident and linguist John Grant.

I want to avoid national stereotyping but I can't. The sound is a folky post-rock, sharing roots with Sigur Ros, Of Monsters & Men and Mugison, albeit with a large dose of Talk Talk. Vocally, Asgeir’s style mixes Sigur’s Jonsi with Talk Talk’s Mark Hollis and, thanks to the production, the harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel.

Opener 'Higher' wouldn't be out of place on 'The Colour Of Spring'. The title track mixes Simon & Garfunkel harmonies with Talk Talk and OM&M brass. 'Summer Guest' and 'Was There Nothing?' keep up the S&G-meets-Talk Talk comparisons. Over gentle acoustic, the vocals come closest to Jonsi on closer 'On That Day'.  

This is a relaxing, unchallenging listen, likely to be popular with soundtrackers and ad agencies. Things are best when the harmonies become more clamorous and the drums more marshal on 'In Harmony', which could almost be Hollis fronting Mumford & Sons. More like this next time, please, Mr Einarsson.

6/10 Pavlis