Ólöf Arnalds releases debut album in the UK

Currently back in the USA for her 5th run of shows in the last 12 months, Icelandic folk chanteuse Ólöf Arnalds has been a prominent figure in her native music scene for several years as a member of múm. However it is Ólöf's solo debut, Við og Við that continues to garner widespread acclaim, and the album will finally be released in the UK for the first time by One Little Indian on November 16th, 2009.
 
Produced by Kjartan Sveinsson from Sigur rós, the album won Best Alternative Album at the 2007 Iceland Music Awards as well as Record of the Year at Iceland's largest daily newspaper, Morgunblaðið. Despite release only in Iceland, word of mouth – including Björk’s patronage - earned Við og Við high profile plaudits in the U.S. ranking in Paste Magazine's Top 100 Albums of 2007 and eMusic's editors Best albums of 2008 list.
 
Við og Við's recent Stateside popularity has seen Ólöf play with the likes of Blonde Redhead, Jonathan Richman, Björk and The Dirty Projectors. Ólöf's recent run of U.S. dates has been covered extensively with publications ranging from Vanity Fair, New York Times, Village Voice and Time Out New York chiming in with praise.
 
Ólöf recently finished recording her second album, Ókídókí, at Sigur rós' Sundlaugin Studios in Mosfellsbær with Kjartan Sveinsson producing once again. An ambitious project, featuring elaborate arrangements and vocals sung both in English and Icelandic, it will be released through One Little Indian in the New Year. 

Ólöf's Dig For Fire TV documentary will be on the enhanced CD version of Við og Við - and click here to see a short documentary around Ólöf's performance at the Feeërieën Festival in Belgium in summer 2008. Also handy if you want to know how to correctly pronounce Ólöf's name!