Ólöf Arnalds @ Henry Fonda Theater

November 23, 2010 - Los Angeles, CA

By Liz Caruso

Ólöf Arnalds @ Henry Fonda Theater - Los Angeles, CA - November 17, 2010 - Photos by Liz Caruso

There is something distinctly mystical about Iceland. I've wondered if perhaps it's the gorgeous landscapes, or how intensely foreign and isolated it seems to those of us living in the States, or the unique street style, but you know what? After taking the thought into consideration for a while, I came to a conclusion that for me, what's most special is the massive amount of talent that comes from the country despite its relatively small population. Take Björk, Sigur Rós, and múm for example - three oustanding artists that have grabbed the world by its balls with their iconic musical style.

So of course, I jumped at the opportunity to check out one of Iceland's newest emerging talents and múm collaborator, Ólöf Arnalds, during her two-night stint at the Henry Fonda in Los Angeles supporting Blonde Redhead. The curtains rose to reveal Ólöf standing on stage alone, guitar strapped across her shoulder, peering out into the crowd with a reserved smile.

From the moment she began her performance, she completely gripped me with her quiet energy. I'm not even sure how to describe it, but she lets off a certain quality in both her demeanor and music that commands you to watch silently in awe, to the point where words have failed me. The voice that comes from her can change from a soft lullaby to projective and loud (in a most pleasant way), facial expressions ranging from joyful smiles and intense stares. She is also adorably endearing in the way she introduces songs, briefly and with a sweet smile.

She sings songs in both Icelandic and English - including some covers of English songs - but excels most during songs in her native language. (Or maybe that's just me, with the sudden fascination of all things Iceland.) For one particular song in English at my show, she forgot the lyrics and started over, but this was more charming than annoying in the way she gracefully handled the mistake with a laugh, starting over a few seconds later. A great number of songs off her latest release Innundir Skinni were on the set - including "Crazy Car", Ólöf's lead-in English tune from the release - though I'd have to say my favorite is the eponymous track, both live and on record.

Ólöf closed the set with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire", turning the 80's song into a down-tempo acoustic rendition with whole phrases strung together as if they were whole words. I think that's the best quality of her Icelandic tracks, the worlds all flow together in a seamless pattern that is beautiful with a razor sharp edge. Definitely check her out if she's passing through your city!

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