Eilífur (Eternal) is Icelandic contemporary composer Viktor Orri Árnason’s solo debut and first PENTATONE album, on which the prospect of living forever is contemplated. Sparked by the realisation that medical advances will soon eradicate death by natural causes, Eilífur weaves together a lucid, near-future narrative via a combination of abstract Icelandic lyrics and adept musical storytelling. The scope and scale of Eilífur is reflected in the extremes of its sound, which moves seamlessly from intimate strings and sombre voices to grand orchestral gestures and vast drones. Eilífur explores what life will be like in the absence of death’s ticking clock. Staying clear of the morbidity that such themes may imply, Eilífur is above all a celebration of life as we know it, and an ode to the things that make it worth living.

credits

released June 18, 2021

All tracks composed, produced, engineered and mixed by Viktor Orri Árnason at VOA Studio.

All solo instruments played by Viktor Orri Árnason, except:
Solo double bass on Var and The Thread by Yair Elazar Glotman
Bass clarinet and saxophones on The Vision by Stefan Baumann.
Guitar on Anima Mundi by Benedikt Smári Skúlason.
Additional electronic vocals on Var, Er, Var - Er by Viktor Orri Árnason.
Recorded at VOA Studio in 2018 and 2019.

Additional production on Var, Er and Var - Er by Hildur Guðnadóttir.

All orchestral parts were recorded at at Magyar Radio, Studio No. 22, East Connection Studios in Budapest in 2018 and 2019 by the Budapest Art Orchestra, conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason in three different sessions:
1. Session - 24 piece Strings Orchestra
2. Session - 12 Cellos and 10 basses
3. Session - 2 bass flutes, 2 saxophones, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, 2 percussion players, violin, viola and cello

Gábor Buczkó: recording engineer
Miklós Lukács Sr.: ProTools operator
Miklós Lukács: orchestra producer
Rick Vincent Will: orchestrator assistant

The 3 pieces Var, Er and Var - Er are derived from the original choir piece Var - Er - Var, written by Viktor Orri Árnason, commissioned by the Fóstbræður male choir (Karlakórinn Fóstbræður) for their centennial concert at the Harpa concert hall, 18th of November 2016.

Var, Er, and Var - Er were all recorded in Langholtskirkja, Reykjavík in January 2017.
Recorded by Sigurður Jónsson
Performed by:
-Karlakórinn Fóstbræður
-Árni Harðarson, conductor
-Benedikt Kristjánsson, tenor
-Grímur Helgason, clarinet
-Emil Friðfinnsson, horn
-Stefán Jón Bernharðsson, horn
-Jósef Ognibene, horn
-Sigurður Þorbergsson, trombone
-Carlos Caro Aguilera, trombone

Male Sextet on The Thread, Maiden, Er and The Faultline: Aron Steinn Ásbjarnarson, Bjarmi Hreinsson, Guðmundur Vignir Karlsson, Hafsteinn Þórólfsson, Örn Arnarson, Örn Ýmir Arason.
Recorded by Bergur Þórisson at Fríkirkjan í Hafnarfirði.
Conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason.

Mastered by Zino Mikorey.
Album artwork and photography by Yvonne Hartmann.