Englabörn

My album submission. I had a hard time picking an album of his but this was the first one I heard so I went with that. Mainly I was trying to think of more types of music that weren't on the list. Very little modern classical along the likes of Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, etc. You may have heard Johann's music without even knowing it: he did the soundtracks on Arrival, The Theory of Everything, and Mandy (among others). He does have some non-film works that are typically soundtracks or conceptual albums, I believe this was his first solo work. He's of that neo-minimalist school of classical music that includes electronic elements and when I heard it, it was definitely a new combination that I had not really been exposed to. I do appreciate the sense of longing in every track he basically makes. It's not a 5* even for me though, there are some tracks that are sort of meh. But I love what he's going for in general.

Really striking, solemn music. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Don't know what it is with me and Icelandic music. But Björk, Sigur Rós, Dadi Freyr, Of Monster and Men,... All of them seem to fall in my favor. And this one is no exception! It sounds magical, atmospheric, intimid and grotesque all at once! Loved it!

This is a very low key entry and its understandable why its under the radar of most listeners. A lovely blend of modern classical, ambient and electronic music. I listened to it 3 times and it got better every time. This one is a grower folks.

This is a valuable listen, more about Jóhannsson than anything general, because it shows a genius working with a problem he can't quite solve. That problem is the narrative of his own material. Englabörn starts plaintive, with a question mark, raw material for an infinite garden of music. That space is explored in all these beautiful vignettes, but it's not until Karen býr til engil that there is any sense of leaving the treadmill. So it's hard to circle anything in one's mind as work or works. That might be the point; Recording may just not have served the project in my mind as well as it could have. Certainly worth spinning as it's not in any was disappointing.

So you're telling me that the robot voice from Radiohead's "Fitter Happier" was actually a prototype A.I. which was given the nickname Johann Johannsson, and not only did it provide the famous interlude for "OK Computer," but it also composed "Exit Music (for a Film)," and was considered a 6th member of the band, who continued to provide guidance and input up through "Amnesiac," before suddenly disappearing, only to return in 2002 with a fully formed modern classical album entitled "Englaborn"? Unbelievable.

Ooh, a very interesting addition. I think there is definitely an argument for inclusion with this, and I think I'll be spinning it a lot in the future.

I liked this a lot, neo-classical electronic in the vein of Meredith Monk.

7/10. Pleasant and instrumental, a good listen to be certain but nothing life-changing.

Ambitious. Good

A nice album mixing classical and modern sounds. I can tell this was originally conceived of as a soundtrack to something.

Nice calm music

This was just the perfect companion to my lazy Saterday morning start-up. Minimalistic yet soothing and with subtle electronics woven into it. Not something that otherwise would have crossed my path, so thanks!

Sometimes you need a good moment to enjoy music like this. And this was a good one inderdaad.

Hmm okay

Well, that one was unexpected. Not my cup of tea, but it gives some variety to the list and certain air of cultural sophistication

Whenever I see Icelandic writing, I'm worried it'll be Sigur Ros. This wasn't them, but it was still weird shit. I think I get the movie soundtrack vibe, but eh. 2/5.

This was very nice. Distinct from the others. I'll admit that I didn't pay much attention after the first 45 minutes or so but I certainly enjoyed it.

This was beautiful and something well worth listening to. I would have been happy to give up a couple of Neil Young albums to hear more contemporary classical music in the project. This really caused me to feel some emotions while listening (although I couldn't exactly tell you what they were).

What an unfortunate name to have

Very good soundtrack music; ethereal and evocative.

Rating: 7/10

Very nice. Kind of blends into the background, but nice to have on while focusing. 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this. I would have enjoyed more electronic elements like the first track had, but it was still a great album. The original list should have had some Phillip Glass or Steve Reich to add some contemporary classical.

Absolutely gorgeous, full album of this a bit much but hugely enjoyed

Nice and very different fare from the rest of the albums on this list. One should hear modern classical music before one dies, although I have little experience here so cannot say whether this is THE album or not. Regardless, I enjoyed the mood.

A nice and unique addition to the project.

Enjoyed a modern take on classical that felt like it was a bit of a mood journey and travel experience. Nice discovery and definitely under-represented in the original list.

I would not have thought that 90 minutes of ambient music is what I needed after the election, but here we are.

An interesting one. Very film score (hey, this guy did "Mandy", neat), little doom-ish. Frigid. It's pretty but it does get pulled to the background a little bit. I love the electronic flourishes. Feels very Mike Oldfield or Philip Glass. Solid. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Sálfræðingur", ""Ég Heyrði Allt Án Þess Að Hlusta""

Nice choice! The list proper seriously lacked classical music, and obviously this is more modern, but still. Really inspired production choices, great melodies combined with unorthodox sounds and ways of getting there. Some tracks on here sounded familiar - have they been used in movies or anything? I'll have to do some digging. Johann became quite a titan in the contemporary field, and it was truly deserved. I either didn't realize or somehow forgot that he passed away in 2018 - what an unbelievable loss that is, of a relatively new and incredible voice in his space. Think I may have had him confused with Ludwig Goransson, but what makes Johann memorable to me is "Forces of Attraction," a song on the Theory of Everything score. Unforgettable. Anyway, great choice here, and if I could add some classical picks as well, I'd throw in Peer Gynt and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Favorite tracks: Odi Et Amo, Englaborn, Salfraedinger Deyr, Bad (I know these aren't d's but I have to make do), Eg Heyrdi Allt An, Eg Atti Graa Aesku. Album art: Blue. That's it. I mean, it's an ocean, but it's not sharp enough to see details. The little seal in the bottom corner is a good classical touch. 4/5

It's great music, no doubt. However, 90 minutes of it without the play it was composed for, oomph.

4 3 Kind of a drag

Nice to hear some classical on the list, though I wish there had been a stronger melodic throughline or some more leitmotifs to glue the whole thing together. The modern production techniques added some new layers to the classical repertoire, but without an iconic melody or unifying theme, this felt more like a collection of tracks rather than the grand journey the best symphonies represent.

Really beautiful. Rich, yet minimalist sound. Thanks so much for sharing. Fave Songs: Sálfræðingur, Ég Sleppi Þér Aldrei, Jói & Karen, Englabörn, Odi Et Amo

I appreciate the explanation of why the user chose this album because it made me rethink what I was expecting from the user albums. I've been getting mad at these boring bruce springsteen live albums and 80s shitposts but my personal enjoyment of my user pick heavily influenced my choice. I was kinda thinking about danny elfman being left off the list but there's no shortage of new wave and I just really liked it. After listening to 1089 albums I think we've earned the right to pick whatever we want to add to the list and if foetal wheel or whatever is their pick then so be it and it's just something I'll have to endure until i get to something like the decemberists again. Either way, I agree that modern classical is underrepresented on the list and this is definitely a good example of that even if I found it somewhat boring. His scores are better but I appreciate someone trying to fill a gap in the list with something even they aren't a massive fan of.

It's modern and interpretative. Moody, windy, keying on emotions. I can feel the fibers of the music playing back into the room.

Nice. Good listening

A perfect ambient classical evocation of the Icelandic landscape. Rating: 3.5 Playlist track: Ég Heyrði Allt Án Þess Að Hlusta Date listened: 16/10/24

Music to vibe with

Música clásica y algo de electrónica. Curioso aunque demasiado lento. Ni fu ni fa.

RIP to a legend. Glad he got a place on this list.

Enjoyed this, but just a bit long and repetitive for me to add to my frequent rotation.

yeah this guy writes film soundtracks alright

Neo classical soundtrack music. Good strings.

This is more of a movie soundtrack than an album but then again the artist literally makes movie scores so that makes sense. Guess everyone has their own flavor but this one is not one I seek out. Not saying it’s bad, it’s just not for me. 4.5/10

It’s ambient atmospheric electronic… not what I ever want to listen to. Can appreciate and respect the work, but even the person who chose it says it’s not a 5 star record. This just seems a wasted entry.