Album of the Month: November 2020

November was a quiet month of music for me. Personally, nothing quite grabbed my immediate attention or interest like the past months of this year. However, I was particularly moved by  Ólafur Arnalds’s new set of tracks that provide a haven of peace and reflection. Having no prior experience with Ólafur’s music, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was a soothing and pensive blend of electronic, ambient, and classical music. Providing tranquility and elegance, Ólafur Arnalds’s some kind of peace is a beautiful listen.

While not every track is fully instrumental, some kind of peace is a classical music album at heart. Tracks feature rolling string sections, graceful piano progressions, and heart-melting harmonies. However, Ólafur experiments and sets himself apart from other classical composers with his unique additions to the classical music formula. Many tracks feature synth leads and pads in the background. The opening track “Loom” features plucky and distorted rhythmic synthetic arpeggios overlaid by a yelpy electronic vox. In addition, the track “Zero” starts as your standard classical piano song but soon is completely transformed into an electronic ambient with its use of grand sweeping synth pads. The two tracks that do feature vocals, “Back to the Sky” and “The Bottom Line”, seamlessly mix vocals into these ambient, classical atmospheres with beautiful singing by Jófríður Ákadóttir (JFDR) and Josin. The last track, “Undone”, also features a poignant voice message. It celebrates the beauty of life and growing up. While the world is hectic and incomprehensible, we are all humans that were born into this beautiful thing called life. The overall sonic texture of this album seems to capture that sentiment perfectly. Whether you need to decompress from a long day or need some background music for studying, this album is an entrancing experience.

The Verdict: For its tranquility, beautiful blend of ambient and classical music and lovely message, some kind of peace is November 2020’s Album of the Month.