Olafur Arnalds

Ólafur Arnalds is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist whose work spans film scores, classical, and electronic music, earning him BAFTA and Grammy nominations. After composing intros and outros for the German metal band Heaven Shall Burn’s 2004 album, ‘Antigone’, Ólafur Arnalds went on to release his debut solo album, ‘Eulogy for Evolution’, in 2007. The following year, he continued to expand his reach by releasing the EP ‘Variations of Static’ and touring with Sigur Rós. Arnalds further demonstrated his innovative approach in 2009 with the ‘Found Songs’ project, releasing a new track daily for seven consecutive days, and co-founded the experimental techno project Kiasmos with Janus Rasmussen.

That same year, he showcased his versatility by composing the score for the ballet ‘Dyad 1909’, before releasing his album ‘…And They Have Escaped The Weight of Darkness’ in 2010. Arnalds broadened his creative output in 2011 with the ‘Living Room Songs’ project and solidified his industry presence through a partnership with Universal Music’s Mercury Classics label in 2012. His compositions gained significant media traction, including scores for films like ‘Another Happy Day’ (2012), the use of his song ‘Allt varð hljótt’ in ‘The Hunger Games’ (2012), and ‘Til enda’ in the ‘Looper’ trailer (2012). His 2012 EPs, ‘Two Songs For Dance’ and ‘Stare’ (with Nils Frahm), preceded his third studio album, ‘For Now I Am Winter’, in 2013, which also featured in the pilot for ‘Masters of Sex’.

Most recently, in 2023, Arnalds launched OPIA Community, a comprehensive project that encompasses a festival series, a new record label, and a community hub dedicated to supporting and nurturing creative artists.