Evoking the otherworldly homelands of its creators, this is electronic music for dreamers and dancers alike. Kiasmos comprises Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and award-winning composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroe Islands native Janus Rasmussen. The duo makes atmospheric electronic with flourishes of Intelligent Dance Music (IDM), ambient, house, and pop.
Their set began with lush strings snaking through ambient drones, guiding us all into a head-nodding hypnosis. My mind went straight to our time in Iceland, especially driving along the Ring Road, an entrancing experience of its own, passing through barren land, gushing waterfalls, and towering glaciers. Soon enough the bass kicked in, the beats sped up, and the crowd got lost in the urge to dance.
Instrumentally dense (the lulling strings really set Kiasmos apart from other likeminded electronic music makers) and infectiously thumping, this is music meant to seduce both mind and body.
Be sure to check out Kiasmos’ latest EP, Swept!
If you’re curious, check out more of our impressions of Iceland.