Whereas folk has become somewhat of a by-word for shaky, broken-hearted lyrics, Ólöf Arnalds manages to breathe life back into a genre that has waived somewhat over the years with Við og Við (or ‘Now and Then’ in English). That’s not to say her lyrics aren’t filled with the quaint wonderings of the heart that contemporaries sing about ”“ given the album is sung in her native Icelandic, there’s very little to decipher. It’s a bit of a cliché, but it simply adds to the other-worldly feel of this truly breathtaking album, whilst freeing her from the restraints that speaking outside of your natural language must surely impose. Though it may have similarities to many of the hippy records of the late 1960’s ”“ Vashti Bunyan springs to mind instantly ”“ it’s a record to lose yourself in, especially when sung in such a beautiful, intricate tongue.What’s most shocking about this record is the sheer confidence that flows throughout. Her guitar in ‘à nýju húsi’ is massively simplistic, almost to the point of tedium, with the most subtle of backings from the violin and keyboard. But this is an album about returning back to basics. What’s more, it simply doesn’t relent ”“ though the guitar is sometimes swapped for a harp, rarely is it furnished with any sort of backing. Credit has to be given then for it never slipping from being utterly captivating. With Kjartan Sveinsson of Sigur Ros producing the album, the temptation to lavish it with the huge orchestral backings that are the signature of their sound must’ve been great. Their hesitance to tread that path has definitely paid off, with the standout, and title track, 'Við og Við' staying long in the mind.Whereas her works with Múm are often experimental, this is too, but in an entirely different sense. Unlike most solo projects, there’s a marked change in artistic direction, and the whole set-up of the album is based around exploiting the beauty of Ólöf’s singing, which is pitch-perfect from start to finish. The fact that this album is only just getting a UK release (it debuted elsewhere in 2007) is bitter sweet. On the one hand, we’ve been robbed of this recording for over 2 years, but it also acts as the perfect stepping stone in waiting for the follow-up, due early 2010. If that is anywhere near as spellbinding as Við og Við, expect something special.

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