From the great north of Europe, Knút composes Hjartasláttur, a record of which the technique and the savoir-faire merge to let a large panel of strong human emotions bloom.
HJARTASLÁTTUR – KNÚT
I must admit that the Faroe Islands are a beautiful mystery to me, so this is a great way to travel to its volcanic islands between Scotland and Iceland. Hjartasláttur is also a great way to travel to inner peace. The delicate piano for Himnafer’s opening; Knút’s kind, almost whispered, voice; the soft progress of the guitar; the orchestral bits getting higher and spreading endlessly across the horizon… This is only a small glimpse of what the rest of the record is putting out there.
Soothing and chill, nostalgia installs itself for a moment before letting an assertive ambition take over. Something epic unfolds in the sails of Tú ert and Ogn. And then, there is joy in vulnerability. That’s what Knút’s sober vocals on each track are giving, and I find happiness there. In this epic yet sensible journey, his voice is met with an aerial and angelic choir that amplifies everything (Villinibord, Nádisolin). The guitars are not left aside, as they get pieces with psychedelic tones (Hjartasláttur, Vit Sótu við havið).
This full-of-life record, created in the uncertain and anxious times of the pandemic, gets larger. Each time I press play, it’s a shock, a paradise, an unexpected bloom. The last notes on the piano dance with the guitars’ on the gentle Vøggusvísa, joining the vocals in a trio that I just can’t get enough of. Each song adds a new heartbeat, pushing forward as it invokes the beauty of the world, from the ocean to humanity. That’s what Knút’s Hjartasláttur is.
Now playing: Vit sótu við havið
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📷: KNÚT – Gwenael Akira Helmsdal Carre
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