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Catchy melodies and euphoric compositions constitute Stafrænn Hákon´s sixth album, Sanitas. The songs are yet intense and powerful and an adventurous continuation of Stafrænn Hákon´s last release, Gummi that Gaz – eta described as a wild ride the band again took the listener on.
Stafrænn Hákon has through the last years been described as a mix of post-rock, lo-fi, ambient guitar & electronica which still holds true to some extent though he with each album takes a giant leap and keeps growing as a musician. On Sanitas, Stafrænn Hákon travels to the other side of the sound spectrum, gradually moving further from electronica, subtle compositions and soothing melodies towards more straight forward, rock orientated compositions which the artist himself often describes as Power-Ambient, currently only audible to left handed polar bears.
On Sanitas, Stafrænn Hákon continues his explorative journey, this time by taking another daring but natural step towards more pop oriented and singalong melodies, something that a few years ago sounded unlikely for the ambient post-rock/electronica band.
Stafrænn Hákon continues sliding a comic or surreal twist to the songtitles as in previous records, challenging the epic and dreamy connotations his music has always been ascribed with. Humour in combination with sincerity has long been some of Stafrænn Hákon´s driving forces, a twisted combination that reflects a personal nuance for those curious to dig deeper into the mindworld of the man behind the band.
The songs on Sanitas build on certain elements from Stafrænn Hákon´s last album, Gummi, songs like “Second to none” with heavy guitars, layers of instruments and vocals that this time are further explored, thickened and hardened. Stafrænn also takes a step into a more darker place where elements of doom metal can be heard on the track “Val Kilmer” who was a huge inspiration for the recording sessions of Sanitas. The last album, Gummi, was described by Angry Ape as “a grandiose statement from an immensely talented musician. Rich in instrumentation and choc full of gorgeous, chiming melodies”, and “stuff so wonderfully blissed out, I’m not sure how it could be improved upon. This stuff is way beyond quality”, by Black and White magazine”. On Sanitas, the compositions move from subtle background music towards more aggressive and up front music with popular references and a faster tempo. The melodramatic atmosphere has stepped aside for upbeat songs with sloppy guitar solos and a sharp focus on the songs´ structures, again inviting the listener on a new and most rewarding journey.
The Icelandic born Ólafur Josephsson has been recording music since 1999 and is the mind behind Stafrænn Hákon. Since his first release that created a hype around it´s lo-fi DIY production in 2001, Olafur has travelled from Iceland to Scotland, to Denmark with his mobile home studio and is to take another journey in the following months, resettling in Iceland where …
Samuel White and Olafur Josephsson continue their close collaboration – a childhood friendship, that developed into a creative partnership keeps growing and developing. Samuel composed 4 tracks on this record that are in line with his former compositions, but this time more upbeat. As the producer of Sanitas, Daniel Lovegrove has undeniably become a vital part of Stafrænn Hakon, with his intense drumming and extensive arrangements, including vocals on 2 tracks as well as playing bass. On Sanitas we see fantastic contributions from Lárus Sigurðsson (a member of the side-project Calder) with his rich acoustic instrumentations, as well as vocals from Minco Eggersman and Magnús Freyr Gíslason. Stafrænn Hákon has collaborated with a broad range of artists and musicians and was aired at the late John Peel´s radio sessions amongst others. He has released material on The U.S based indie label Secret Eye, Resonant Records, Awkward Silence, Chat Blanc, Japanese Nature Bliss, and now for the first time on Darla Records (U.S & EU) and Happy Prince (ASIA). Released April 15th 2010.
Olafur Josephsson:
Guitars and guitar treatments, pianos, percussion, harmonium, bells, bass, keyboards, banjo, acoustic guitars.
Daniel Lovegrove:
Bass, Drums, guitar, synths, harmonium, vocals on Post & Unwind tender dog!
Samuel White:
guitar on Sanitas.
Lárus Sigurðsson:
acoustic instruments.
Minco Eggersman:
vocals on Second to none, Sanitas & Temporailty.
Magnús Freyr:
vocals on Emmer Green & Provisional Meat.
Þórður Hermannsson:
Cello on Bright and Second to none.
Rob:
Backing Vocals & Trombone.
Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir:
piano on Bright.
Minning um deig
Second to none
Emmer Green
Ratio 8:3 (at least)
Unwind, Tender dog
Bright
Val Kilmer
Sanitas
You have to let me borrow this
Temporality
Provisional meat
The jerker
i heard that we look much alike
i heard that we look much alike, equivalence
we couldn’t agree with you morewe couldn’t agree with you more, common sense
her eyes feel a lot like mine
her eyes feel a lot like mine, shrewdness
i heard that we look much alike
i heard that we look much alike, equivalence
we couldn’t agree with you more
no, we couldn’t agree with you more, common sense
my ears sound a lot like hers
my ears sound a lot like hers, shrewdness
i heard that we look much alike
i heard that we look much alike, equivalence
we couldn’t agree with you more
no, we couldn’t agree with you more, common sense
the skipping of our hearts’ beat
the skipping of our hearts’ beat, timeless
see if they would break it up, see if they would break it up, we wouldn’t last
see if they would break us up, see if they would break us up, we wouldn’t last
see if they would break it up, see if they would break it up, we wouldn’t last
see if they would break us up, see if they would break us up, we wouldn’t last
i heard that we look much alike
i heard that we look much alike, equivalence
we couldn’t agree with you more
no, we couldn’t agree with you more, common sense
the skipping of our hearts’ beat
the skipping of our hearts’ beat, timeless
the love which i speak of
the love which i speak of, second to none
How far you never seem to know….
Don´t let it break your heart now, you know he´ll figure it out…
I may sit alone, drawing circles in the stone, on my own
Draw a town and people gather round, trampling sound
war-like noise overhead, or just a plane making a hungry sound disturbing the ground
contrast, now quiet enough to sense the circulating dust in the room, i await the doom that never comes
(and probably) waking up early just to check it’s safe to sleep,get up late to feel stupid
Hi, I’m a ghost who just appears when least welcome (you’ll find)
A spider in the bedroom with a plan to stay all weekend (you’re fine)
Despite logic, I’m prepared at the tiniest sign
I hope it pays to let your mind race most of the time
(don’t deconstruct until the time’s up),
next try, forced by, hindsight
Become a literary critic of post-it notes, just left for yourself, some words on a shelf
Missing significant weight, it’s just a pompous trait strayed further from fact, and you’ll only retract if proven wrong
When you cut your words around, intention’s nowhere to be found
(evidently) o-one’s any good or everyone is excellent
each attempt’s more deluded
Hi, I’m a ghost who just appears when least welcome (you’ll find)
A spider in the bedroom with a plan to stay all weekend (you’re fine)
Despite logic, I’m prepared at the tiniest sign
I hope it pays to let your mind race most of the time
(don’t deconstruct until the time’s up)
next try, forced by, hindsight
Like lopsided arguments, to get involved makes little sense
If you asked your future clone, he’d have problems of his own
(Balanced between what is felt and what is thought about)
i see trouble, where are you?
not in time, will that make two, tonight, tonight
sorrow’s seeping from the wood
hailing from this homegrown truth, tonight, tonight
see the house we built once more
open yet another door, tonight, tonight
i’m lost - carrying the dead - i’m lost
through a forest that’s not there…on my back, the ghosts, beware
i’m lost
i’m lost- carrying the dead - i’m lost
i’m lost - carrying the dead - i’m lost
through a forest that’s not there, on my back, the ghosts, beware
i’m lost
i’m lost - carrying the dead
i’m lost
i see trouble, where are you?
not in time, will that make two, tonight, tonight
home sweet home, i left you once
don’t think twice, cause you’re not there, tonight, tonight
I´m on the other side,with all your painted signs
There´s this one black and blue
that paint’s another hue
Uptide swims on, i´m the river in your arms tonight….
i should have seen it coming, after all
a blackened cloud persuading, stars to fall
i should have seen you coming, so sublime
a blood red sky polluting, cloud number nine
I've lost my sight, this is black on white
now i’m colorblind
I've lost my sight, this is black on white
now i’m colorblind
this interpretation, bothers me
i can’t seem to nail it, patiently
i know you told me twice that i’d known it once
but in the meantime i can only sit on my hands
like it’s nothing, or so to speak
i keep hitting dead ends, yes i am weak
I've lost my sight, this is black on white
now i’m colorblind
I've lost my sight, this is black on white
now i’m colorblind
I've lost my sight, this is black on white
black on white
black on white
this is black on white
black on white
black on white
approximating faces to those of people i have known
incorporated into real life, on relevance
through countless songs and pages, or scenes
like pieces of my own
displayed to represent who and what as ornaments
(simultaneously consciously both)
a mesh of real and projected
finding a mentor, listening carefully
made everything easy, until i grew up
and felt the covers slipping off
oblivious of lines that I was meant to have crossed
less dependence, more development
but circumstantial knowledge is all
that can really be ingrained
appreciation without context is not an existence
finding a mentor, listening carefully
