The Ghost That Carried Us Away

This is the debut release by Iceland's Seabear. The Ghost That Carried US Away flatters in a rather unobtrusive way: fragile hymns of nonchalant casualness, created by the 24-year-old Sindri Már Sigfússon. Guitars, piano, his almost bashful and yet present voice - themes of nature, mortality and love from Iceland's musical heartland, Reykjavik. There's a violinist with her voice in the clouds, Gudbjörg Hlin Gudmundsdóttir (violin, vocals, harmonica) and Orn (guitar, lapsteel). Other members include Eiki, Orvar, Gudni and Dóri: one plays the flugelhorn, the slide-guitar and upright-bass, one belongs to the live line-up of Sigur Rós and another is part of the sensational Múm. Some are stage members of Benni Hemm Hemm's band - the other Icelandic artist on Morr music. Sigfusson invited them into his small studio, placed them in front of the only microphone and let them think about his musical thoughts. He likes the notion and the feeling of lo-fi, and for the recording of the drums, only three microphones were used. The result is reminiscent of the reduced stereo recordings of the 1960s. "Libraries" is tiny and gigantic, unobtrusive and exciting at the same time - a song like blinking into the most beautiful sunrise. A tumbling piano, swinging drums and melancholy melodies. "Hands Remember" includes murmuring vocals and two violins. In "Summer Bird Diamond," birds twitter to the sounds of an old banjo and glockenspiel. It is almost like a chamber folk radio play. And "Seashell" at last, is a pocket symphony, arranged around jumping drums.