Ólöf Arnalds – Innundir Skinni

Holding true to the winning blueprint of debut album, Við Og Við, Icelander Ólöf Arnalds once again employs Kjartan Sveinsson of Sigur Rós fame to produce her sophomore release, and as expected, Innundir Skinni continues to map her journey through some beatific, glacial folk. Opening with the comparatively vigorous, Vinur Minn, Arnalds isolated vocals give way to the patter of an acoustic pluck and a quickly ramping crescendo of choral brass, before the gentle thaw of Innundir Skinni begins.

From then on, she mainly relies on simply an acoustic guitar and the rich texture of her native tongue to guide her unique brand of folk away from the pack; breaking momentarily to duet with fellow Icelander, Björk, on penultimate track, Surrender. Innundir Skinni is an endearing album, for both its timid vulnerability and heart-warming intimacy, with the only issue being that such is its subtlety at times, it’s in danger of losing its message. [Paul Neeson]