Arborescence, by Úlfur

Arborescence

by Úlfur

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bcesards For the uninitiated in modern classical, like I was - and still kinda am, to be honest - this album can be a bit daunting. But hey, if you want to ride that learning curve, hop on; it's a blast. Favorite track: Serpentine.

STEVE SMITH light and positive

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	1.	Arborescence 06:35
	2.	Tómið Titrar 06:45
	3.	Rhinoceros 03:17
	4.	Fovea 03:14
	5.	Serpentine 03:41
	6.	Weightlessness 04:17
	7.	Vakandi 04:43

about

A unique talent, Úlfur (Luxembourg-born, Iceland-raised, NYC-residing Úlfur Hansson) is known as much for his genre-defying experiments with homemade instruments and electronics as he is for his work with prominent Icelandic trailblazers Jónsi (of Sigur Rós) and Ólöf Arnalds, and Sweden’s Anna Von Hauswolff. As a composer - a graduate of Mills College, California - Úlfur in 2013 received the prestigious Young Composer of the Year award from the International Rostrum of Composers, and has had works commissioned by The Icelandic Symphonic Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet and l’Orchestre de Radio France.

Arborescence, his brave and immersive newest LP, navigates a trail between these many worlds. Its pieces are longform and dreamily (un-)structured, made up of soundscapes, electro-acoustic processing, vocals, synthesizers, electronic production, all framed by intricate, cinematic string arrangements (performed by label-mate and múm co-founder Gyda Valtysdottir) and cataclysmic explosions of noise (provided in part by the transcendent and superlative drumming of black metal hero Greg Fox). The record alternately traverses moments of stillness and vulnerability and moments of violence, covering all the ground between as it travels.

“The title is derived from that type of movement,” Úlfur writes. “Arborescence - the phenomenon of branching out, following the path of least resistance, growing from a seed, or a bolt of lightning as it rips through the sky, connecting different outcomes, possibilities to a single point of origin.”

Arborescence was produced by Randall Dunn (SUNN O))), Earth, Marissa Nadler, etc.), and also features the wonderful musicianship of Skúli Sverrisson (Blonde Redhead, David Sylvian, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Laurie Anderson, Ólöf Arnalds) and Zeena Parkins (Björk, Jim O’Rourke, Pauline Oliveros, Fred Frith, John Zorn).

credits

released November 3, 2017

::Arborescence::
Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded in three different locations by Randall Dunn, Úlfur Hansson and Ólafur Björn Ólafsson

Strings performed by Gyða Valtýsdóttir

Drums performed by Greg Fox

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

::Tómið Titrar::

Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded in two different locations by Randall Dunn, Úlfur Hansson and Alex Somers

Guitar and Bass performed by Shahzad Ismaily

Strings performed by Gyða Valtýsdóttir

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

::Rhinoceros::

Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

::Fovea::
Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded in two different locations by Randall Dunn and Alex Somers
Guitars and bass performed by Skúli Sverrisson

Percussion by Greg Fox

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

::Serpentine::

Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded by Randall Dunn

Strings performed by Gyða Valtýsdóttir

Harp solo performed by Zeena Parkins

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

::Weightlessness::

Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded in Hallgrímskirkja by Albert Finnbogason

Written and performed by Úlfur Hansson

::Vakandi::

Engineered, mixed and produced by Randall Dunn

Recorded in two different locations by Randall Dunn, Úlfur Hansson and Alex Somers

Strings performed by Gyða Valtýsdóttir

Guitar and bass performed by Shahzad Ismaily

Percussion by Greg Fox

Written and arranged by Úlfur Hansson

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about

Úlfur New York, New York

Úlfur is known as much for his genre-defying experiments with homemade instruments and electronics as he is for his work with Jónsi and Anna Von Hauswolff. As a composer - a graduate of Mills College, California - Úlfur in 2013 received the prestigious Young Composer of the Year award from the International Rostrum of Composers, and has had works commissioned by f.ex. the Kronos Quartet. ... more

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