Album review: Ólafur Arnalds - Eulogy For Evolution (2007)

Album: Eulogy For Evolution
Label: Erased Tapes
Release date: 29 October 2007
Style: Modern Classical

Tracklisting

1. 0040
2. 0048 / 0729
3. 0952
4. 1440
5. 1953
6. 3055
7. 3326
8. 3704 / 3837

For long time, classical music genre has often been closely associated to the upper-class level society. It has never been widely accepted in the normal world of ‘pop’ music because of its detailed composition and technical complexity. But young composer Ólafur Arnalds already knows how to tackle this issue without trying too hard.

It is all inscribed into this critically acclaimed debut. Do take note that Eulogy for Evolution was released when he was only 21 years old and journalists were already comparing him to his predecessors like Jóhann Jóhannsson and Max Richter.

Before this, he was a drummer in two hardcore/metal band (Fighting Shit and Celestine) and even contributed his work to other bands (Heaven Shall Burn and 65daysofstatic). Clearly, he is a tireless musician, who is never afraid of exploring different genre of music, collecting substances and ideas. Far clearer, Eulogy for Evolution is a statement of all the lengthy effort, and his instrumental virtuosity. It is no surprised at all that Sigur Rós had chosen him to open for them during their 2008 tour.

To begin with this record, ever wonder how is it like hearing a piano and a string quartet having an evening heart-to-heart conversation? Where most of the topics, which filled with sorrow, emotional conflict and even with occasional weeping; it is almost a melancholic theatrical experience while listening to Eulogy for Evolution.

Instead of introducing an album with some simple short intro tunes, Eulogy for Evolution opens up to me like a sad novel. 0040 crawls in with a few bars of string arrangements. The arrangements which were already soaked up in tears, hopelessly cries out for help, as if they were struggling to move on to the next bar, then the organic piano comes in and helps them reach its zenith before plunging down again to the dark, dreadful 0048/072.

However, this melodic formula is not new, but having that kind of opening is more than halfway to astounding, similar structures painted in the entire record, nothing but grief, ache and endurance.

Elsewhere, the soft and pleasing 0952 enter, again swelled strings arrangements sounded like an excerpt, which is taken off from Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. That is the visual that first came into my mind when I hear it for the first time. Still on the same theme but in a much slower movement. Here, the strings drift effortlessly through the background of the piece for almost 3 minutes. Ólafur demonstrated that a musical piece could go on endlessly, as long as it’s the right note.

Undeniably, Ólafur is master at using space, silence and single key to paint a sad story. As track 1440 unfolds, it became more and more evident. Every single note is like teardrops dripping. My best experience happened exactly at 04:00, the sudden melancholic strings appeared from the background and pulled me into the very bottom of the Pacific. It was unexpected. I could only be able to catch my breath back after it reached 05.00. This is the saddest track in this record, the piece that will never see the light at the end of the tunnel. Forever lurking in the dark.

Other notable tracks are the blistering crescendo 3055 and the intensifying 3704/3837 where drums and some electronics were introduced. 3055 was a quite typical post-rock music arrangement, and as a fan of post-rock music, it was done slightly above the par compared to the other bands. Perhaps it is the counterpoint in between the piano and the strings at the end of the track that did fairly a good job.

In addition, Eulogy for Evolution is not just about the idea of marrying the delicate classical with the indie rock. It is clearly a concept album, which Ólafur chose to leave a void to let the listeners to fill in their thoughts. To me, each listen is like a discovery. A discovery of dramatic and heart-wrenching soundscapes.

He and his lovely string quartet are currently touring around China and Taiwan. Good news for fans over there, I hope he would consider dropping by Southeast Asia. Here are the details of the tour [click the image below].

by Choong Ching with help from Charel