Soup, Soak, and Music: Icelandic Composer Gabríel Ólafs on His New Album, Solon Islandus, and Planning the Perfect Day in Reykjavík

<p>Icelandic composer <a href="https://www.gabrielolafs.com/"><u>Gabríel Ólafs</u></a> has become a poster child for the German term <em>wunderkind</em>. At age 14, he wrote the song that landed him his first record deal. At 19, he released his debut album, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1tOCnZcSNoKVarT7deyqMz"><u><em>Absent Minded</em></u></a>, which has been streamed millions of times.</p> <p>Now 23, Ólafs is celebrating two massive achievements. Earlier this year, he co-founded the <a href="https://www.rro.is/"><u>Reykjavík Recording Orchestra</u></a>, Iceland's first dedicated studio orchestra, which has recorded music for Netflix, Apple TV, and Deutsche Grammophon. And this summer he released <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/70KIVTNVTj77svaPJ3C9za"><u><em>Solon Islandus</em></u></a>, his major-label U.S. debut on Decca Records.</p> <p>With its visual aesthetic inspired by film, fashion, and photography, <em>Solon Islandus</em> brings to mind another German term: <em>Gesamtkunstwerk</em>, or "total work of art." For Ólafs, every project has to consider musical and visual aesthetics in equal measure.</p> <p>"I take a directorial approach, so as I begin a new project I like to have the visuals from the get-go," Ólafs says on the latest episode of the <em>Classical Post</em> podcast. "The visual side, for me personally, is an essential part of the whole project. I don't look at it as, 'I have this music and now I need to take a couple of photos.' It's 50-50."</p> <p>From the fascinating variety of instrumental colors Ólafs creates, to the album's film-noir cover and the stunning music video for its title track — featuring members of the Iceland Dance Company and fashion from Iris Van Herpen — <em>Solon Islandus</em> is an incredible release that positions Ólafs as one of the most important musicians to watch today.</p> <p>In this discussion, we talk more about the new album and how his first job in a recording studio sparked his obsession with the recording process. Plus, he shares how daily soak