In The Silence is a complete package. It’s got pristine pop lacquer, it’s full of hum-along motifs, it’s got moments you can dance to and moments you can chill to; the lyrics are emotive, and every instrumental performance is as powerful as the Ark Of The Covenant.
A first listen might trigger Bon Iver, log cabins, and wistful Scandinavian serenity, but beyond the vaporous vocals and bucolic guitar there’s a richness and craftsmanship to the record which justifies his volcanic, chart-topping ascent.
Ásgeir’s voice doesn’t lose any of its beauty when singing in English either, with his affecting tone sitting somewhere between Jonsi and Bon Iver.
His control of his voice is total, each note and harmony planned and systematically executed, and yet still effortlessly emotive and expressive.
It’s easy to hear his plaintive songs, full of heartbreak, mountains and fjords, and picture Ásgeir recording in Bon Iver-style isolation.
#29 | / | Gigwise |
#74 | / | Rough Trade |
/ | The Line of Best Fit |