Stafraenn Hakon
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland | INDIE
Music
Press
Release Info :
Much-anticipated brand new full length from one of the leading lights of Iceland's burgeoning alternative music scene, following 2004's "Ventill/Poki" (RESCD009) and the accompanying debut UK tour. Stafraenn Hakon is the pseudonym of Olafur Josephsson, and "Gummi" is his fourth album release for UK indie Resonant - the first two effectively being full releases for his bedroom recordings.
While "Ventill/Poki" represented his first material recorded with a supporting cast - a progression that was very evident in comparison to his previous output - "Gummi" marks a further giant leap forward in every respect.
Having established himself as a predominantly instrumental artist, Josephsson will surprise many with the inclusion of six full vocal tracks among the nine included here - featuring Birgir Hilmarsson (Blindfold/Ampop) on five tracks and Efterklang's Casper Clausen on one, alongside other guest musicians and collaborators.
While recognising the need to constantly evolve in order to maintain and expand upon your audience, the key elements that have always marked out Stafraenn Hakon from the crowded post-rock platform are still very much in place; delicate, intricate instrumentation and atmospherics, building slowly and organically, drawing in the listener.
Sure to be his biggest album to date, "Gummi" is housed in a full colour CD wallet featuring stunning hand-drawn artwork, and will be supported by UK tour dates around the release.
Tracklisting :
1. Járn (8:38)
2. Svefn (5:48)
3. P-rofi (6:47)
4. Rjúpa (5:36)
5. Hausi (7:58)
6. Kvef (10:09)
7. Þurr Þurr (4:49)
8. Glussi (4:58)
9. Veggur (9:02) - Resonant Label
Release Info :
After two full-lengths on Resonant, the much-lauded Stafraenn Hakon is about to step up proceedings with this, his first new material in two years - on the back of the success and acclaim that met the aforementioned "Skvettir Edik a Ref" (RESCD005 - Oct 2003) and "I Astaandi Rjupunnar" (RESCD006 - March 2004), both of which were 'old' albums deservedly seeing light of day for the first time beyond his native Iceland.
Whereas those two were effectively home recordings using basic instruments and means, "Ventill/Poki" is the end result of a week in a studio in England with the help of fellow Resonant artist Dialect, using live bass and drums sounding like the product of a band rather than one guy. That said, crucially it retains the 'feel' of his previous work, and is more potent and powerful rather than allowing anything to get lost in the mix. Coming on like a hybrid of
Labradford, Sigur Ros and Mogwai and finishing up with one of the finest bodies of work within the ambient/post-rock sub-genre in years, this album seems certain to elevate Olafur Josephsson's musical alias in the esteemed company of his most obvious peers in terms of status. - Resonant Label
Limited edition of 1000 packaged in a deluxe, six panel, tri-fold "Old style" Stoughton Press 5" CD mini-jacket with satin finish.
Catchy melodies and euphoric compositions constitute Stafrænn Hákon´s sixth album, Sanitas. The songs are yet intense and powerful and an adventurous continuation of Stafrænn Hákon´s last release, Gummi that Gaz – eta described as a wild ride the band again took the listener on. Stafrænn Hákon has through the last years been described as a mix of post-rock, lo-fi, ambient guitar & electronica which still holds true to some extent though he with each album takes a giant leap and keeps growing as a musician. On Sanitas, Stafrænn Hákon travels to the other side of the sound spectrum, gradually moving further from electronica, subtle compositions and soothing melodies towards more straight forward, rock orientated compositions which the artist himself often describes as Power-Ambient, currently only audible to left handed polar bears. On Sanitas, Stafrænn Hákon continues his explorative journey, this time by taking another daring but natural step towards more pop oriented and singalong melodies, something that a few years ago sounded unlikely for the ambient post-rock/electronica band.
Stafrænn Hákon continues sliding a comic or surreal twist to the songtitles as in previous records, challenging the epic and dreamy connotations his music has always been ascribed with. Humour in combination with sincerity has long been some of Stafrænn Hákon´s driving forces, a twisted combination that reflects a personal nuance for those curious to dig deeper into the mindworld of the man behind the band.
The songs on Sanitas build on certain elements from Stafrænn Hákon´s last album, Gummi, songs like “Second to none” with heavy guitars, layers of instruments and vocals that this time are further explored, thickened and hardened. Stafrænn also takes a step into a more darker place where elements of doom metal can be heard on the track “Val Kilmer” who was a huge inspiration for the recording sessions of Sanitas. The last album, Gummi, was described by Angry Ape as “a grandiose statement from an immensely talented musician. Rich in instrumentation and choc full of gorgeous, chiming melodies”, and “stuff so wonderfully blissed out, I'm not sure how it could be improved upon. This stuff is way beyond quality”, by Black and White magazine”. On Sanitas, the compositions move from subtle background music towards more aggressive and up front music with popular references and a faster tempo. The melodramatic atmosphere has stepped aside for upbeat songs with sloppy guitar solos and a sharp focus on the songs´ structures, again inviting the listener on a new and most rewarding journey.
The Icelandic born Ólafur Josephsson has been recording music since 1999 and is the mind behind Stafrænn Hákon. Since his first release that created a hype around it´s lo-fi DIY production in 2001, Olafur has travelled from Iceland to Scotland, to Denmark with his mobile home studio and is to take another journey in the following months, resettling in Iceland where ...
Samuel White and Olafur Josephsson continue their close collaboration – a childhood friendship, that developed into a creative partnership keeps growing and developing. Samuel composed 4 tracks on this record that are in line with his former compositions, but this time more upbeat. As the producer of Sanitas, Daniel Lovegrove has undeniably become a vital part of Stafrænn Hakon, with his intense drumming and extensive arrangements, including vocals on 2 tracks as well as playing bass. On Sanitas we see fantastic contributions from Lárus Sigurðsson (a member of the side-project Calder) with his rich acoustic instrumentations, as well as vocals from Minco Eggersman and Magnús Freyr Gíslason. Stafrænn Hákon has collaborated with a broad range of artists and musicians and was aired at the late John Peel´s radio sessions amongst others. He has released material on The U.S based indie label Secret Eye, Resonant Records, Awkward Silence, Chat Blanc, Japanese Nature Bliss, and now for the first time on Darla Records (U.S & EU) and Happy Prince (ASIA).
Tracks:
Minning um deig
Second to none
Emmer Green
Ratio 8-3 (at least)
Unwind, tender dog!
Bright
Val Kilmer
Sanitas
You have to let me borrow this
Temporality
Provisional Meat
The Jerker
Packaged in a deluxe, six panel, tri-fold "Old style" Stoughton Press CD mini-jacket.
Produced by Daniel Lovegrove & Olafur Josephsson. Recorded at Daniel Lovegrove´s studio, August 2009 and at home various times 2007-2009. Mixed by Daniel Lovegrove. Mastered by Arnar Helgi Aðalsteinsson.
All songs written by Olafur Josephsson except Samuel White wrote Second to None, Ratio 8-3 (at least), Bright & Provisional Meat.
Published by Olafur Josephsson/KODA/NCB.
Stafrænn Hákon on this album:
Olafur Josephsson: Guitars and guitar treatments, pianos, percussion, harmonium, bells, bass, keyboards, banjo, acoustic guitars.
Daniel Lovegrove: Bass, Drums, guitar, synths, harmonium, vocals on Post & Unwind tender dog!
Samuel White: guitar on Sanitas.
Lárus Sigurðsson: acoustic instruments.
Minco Eggersman: vocals on Second to none, Sanitas & Temporailty.
Magnús Freyr: vocals on Emmer Green & Provisional Meat.
Þórður Hermannsson: Cello on Bright and Second to none.
Rob: Backing Vocals & Trombone.
Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir: piano on Bright.
- Darla Records
Discography
Prammi (2012)
Glussajól (2010)
Sanitas (2010)
Apron EP (2010)
Échange II EP (2009)
Gummi (2007)
Kobbi EP (2007)
Sprengir ílát EP (2006)
Ventill / Poki (2004)
Skvettir edik a ref (2002)
I astandi rjupunnar (2002)
Eignast Jeppa (2001)
Photos
Bio
Once described as “frequently mesmerizing, seamlessly interwoven combination of electronica and ambient guitar..” by the legendary Wire magazine. Stafrænn Hákon has indeed through the last 6 years been described as a mix of post-rock, lo-fi, ambient guitar & electronica. The Icelandic born Ólafur Josephsson has been recording music since 1999 under the name Stafrænn Hákon (sometimes stafraenn hakon, stafrann hakon) which has often confused the media, due to the confusing Icelandic origin.
Late in 2005 and Stafrænn Hákon is hard at work on his 5th album entitled “Gummi”. Ólafur drives up to the countryside in Iceland to meet up with his friend Lárus Sigurðsson in a church to record harps into the opening song of “Gummi”. Still there is no sign of any elf or a ghost there, the reason is simple, and there is no such thing. The delicate and subtle sound of Lárus harps spread over crunchy ambient guitars in opening tones of “Járn” and make the song one of the most complete songs Ólafur has ever written. The more acoustic alive sound on the album can be clearly heard when Birgir Hilmarsson of Blindfold and Ampop plays the last notes on the harmonium as he stands up and exits the studio in the closing track “Veggur”. The climax of the song comes with Birgir singing harmony vocals over the enormous guitar layers and crunchy drums from Daniel Lovegrove (aka Dialect). Samúel White a long time collaborator and vital part of the Stafrænn Hákon project is delivering one of his most elaborative works with his beautiful picked guitar parts. In the intense melody of “Hausi” Samúel´s guitar is sounding huge with vocals contributed from Minco Eggersman. “P-rofi” collaboration with the Danish based Efterklang ties the album together with the advanced sonic structure and subtle use of instruments. When Ólafur enters Daniel´s studio to complete the album with additional production, he knows this album is going to be the most complete and solid record he has ever done. With Daniel´s drums and production, the sound stretches to new dimension in Stafrænn Hákon´s soundworld.
After the college indie rock band “Sullaveiki Bandormurinn” disbanded in 1999, Ólafur continued experimenting with his 4-track recorder in his basement. Tapes started piling up in the drawer and finally Ólafur compiled a few songs on a CD to sell at the local record store. Stafrænn Hákon´s first album “eignast jeppa” received some hype around it´s lo-fi DIY production in 2001. Recorded on his 4-track recorder using guitar, bass, melodica and drum machine with the 5th instrument mostly being the tape hiss. The atmosphere was dreamy and laid back with thick guitar layers swirling around the lo-fi drum machine sounds. Two albums followed within the next year of the debut album. “Í ástandi rjúpunnar” and “Skvettir edik á ref” were a huge development from the lo-fi sound of “eignast jeppa”. Focusing more on ambient driven guitar layers and occasional synthesizer the two albums were more complete and the sound world was more definite for Stafrænn Hákon. Eventually all of them were reissued worldwide on 2 different labels. Resonant Records in the U.K reissued “Í ástandi rjúpunnar” and “Skvettir edik á ref”. The U.S based indie label Secret Eye reissued the debut. In 2003 Ólafur was recording material for forthcoming album to be released on Resonant. The album was later to become Stafrænn´s most successful album to date. “Ventill/Poki” received staggering reviews and was followed with a 3 week tour in the U.K in September 2004. The album was the first to be completed in a proper studio with live drums recorded and played by Daniel.
Now in late 2006 and Stafrænn Hákon has completed his 5th album and has previously toured U.K and played few festivals around Europe, his new album is ready to hit the stores and a tour to coincide the new album is in the planning stage.
“A wall of beautiful, hard-to-describe sound fills the air……..It's music of such delicacy and intricate delivery that can just turn, like that, into music of such power and ferocity” (http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/3123/)
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