There’s a lot to unpack in ‘Hjartasláttur’. A monumental, expressive and kaleidoscopic record, the album jumps head first into evocative Folk and Pop stylings, delivering pieces that are extremely emotional, charismatic and introspective. Let’s give it some context; such an enlightened artistic concept gets to us courtesy of Knút, lyricist, composer and singer based in the Faroe Islands. Also an academic, Knút shares a slice of Faroese wisdom and traditional melodies, while also giving the record a distinctively modern outlook.
‘Himnafar’ opens the album in an anthemic fashion, channelling poignant piano chords, long strings and a vibey rhythmical counterpart. It’s glorious: everything feels spacious and majestic, lulling the listener away into a blissful moment of artistic excellence. The instrumental goodness is then crowned by Knút’s soothing and delicate vocals, enunciated in the Faroese language.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the record, he explains: “We are living in times of great worry with climate change, war, inflation, pandemics, etc., and it is easy to get swallowed up in the doom-scrolling. If music can be a space where we acknowledge the vulnerability of our lives and dig into the meaning of art, music and beauty and uphold these things and their inherent value, we can lift each other up.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Hjartasláttur’ on Spotify:
