Ólafur Arnalds has steadily built a reputation as one of the world’s most bright and able young composers. Purveying a neo-classical style with an array of influences which range from electronica to minimalism, he is an artist who draws from a variety of sources whilst maintaining his own unique sound.

2013 brings the release of his third full-length studio album, For Now I Am Winter; which is a categorical side-step away from the sound he is best known for. The most striking aspect of For Now I Am Winter is just how much more immediate and bold it is in comparison to his previous records. The use of fuller orchestration allows For Now I Am Winter room to breathe, grow and flourish as well as emphasising its dynamic shifts.

In the past the suggestion had been to collaborate with a well-known singer, a prospect which did not sit comfortably. “None of that really felt right to me. It felt so forced and it didn’t feel like we were doing it for the right reasons”. For Arnalds, the concept of evolution and seasonal change is one which has been nearly ever-present in his music. Here it continues both musically and conceptually – Arnalds’ own framework is fulfilled and we hear a personal evolution as a composer and, for the first time, as a songwriter.