Icelandic natives Samaris recently announced their plans to release Silkidrangar Sessions, a long-form and live oriented reworking of their previous LP, released in 2014 on Little Indian. Their song is unfortunately only available for streaming on Line of Best Fit, who did nothing to praise or examine the song’s content. It certainly deserves it: “Lífsins ólgudub” is artistic and beautiful to listen to. It’s worth the extra click. Listen to this.
Samaris is a curious synthesis. Comprised of a clarinet player, vocalist, and producer, the Icelandic band has deservedly gotten some good press and critical success.Jófríður Ákadóttir has a vocal timbre not dissimilar to compatriot Björk, velvety tongue slithering around alien syllables. The track is filled with enchanting electronic buzzes and synths, fashioned into a sort of mythical downtempo. As with their previous releases, one of the most successful aspects of their music is their ability to use sonic space. Instead of filling every moment with sound, Samaris’ resident producer Þórður Kári Steinþórsson harnesses silence and empty space to make the compositions seem more lofty and distant, content to let a vocal line or instrument reverberate into darkness. Samaris’ music is evocative of an ethereal and dark place, shrouded in mysticism and drenched in ghostly silence.
