Ólafur Arnalds – re:member vinyl record
Ólafur Arnalds – re:member vinyl record

Mercury KX

Ólafur Arnalds - re:member

£31.99

Pickup available at 12 Bar Music and Social - Exeter

Usually ready in 24 hours

Ólafur Arnalds' 2018 album re:member is a fusion of contemporary classical, ambient and electronic music that showcases the Icelandic composer's unmistakable cinematic sound. Built using his self-playing Stratus piano system, it weaves delicate piano melodies, lush strings and subtle electronics into one of his most fully realised records.

Highlights include unfold, saman and the title track re:member — deeply emotional yet beautifully understated. A natural next step for anyone who loves Nils Frahm, Max Richter or Hania Rani, it rewards both focused listening and quiet moments of reflection.

Whether you're discovering Ólafur Arnalds for the first time or adding to an existing collection, re:member remains one of the standout records in modern contemporary classical — patient, cinematic, and built to be played on repeat.
Tracklist

re:member
unfold
saman
brot
inconsist
they sink
ypsilon
partial
momentary
undir
ekki hugsa
nyepi
Details

Release Date: 24th August 2018

Barcode: 0602465323863

Why We Love It

re:member is what happens when a composer gets genuinely curious about how a piano actually works. Olafur Arnalds built two self-playing 'Stratus' pianos that respond in real time to the one he's playing, so every performance ripples outward into something semi-improvised and slightly unpredictable, then layered it with strings, synths and a hint of electronic pulse. The result never feels like a gimmick — it feels like modern classical music quietly discovering a new way to breathe. Warm, patient and genuinely inventive, this is a record that rewards close, attentive listening as much as background ambience.

Sam's Note

Undir is the track to start with. Once you know how the self-playing pianos work, the whole record opens up.

Sounds Like

• Nils Frahm
• Max Richter
• Jóhann Jóhannsson
• Hania Rani

Mood

• Contemplative
• Warm
• Cinematic
• Patient

Perfect For

• Reading
• Late-night listening
• Sunday mornings

12 Bar Listening Guide

First Listen
Reveals More
Atmosphere
Originality

Why This Album Matters

Released in August 2018 on Mercury KX, re:member is built around Arnalds' custom 'Stratus Pianos' — two self-playing instruments developed with audio programmer Halldor Eldjarn that respond generatively to a central piano he plays live. It represented a genuine technical breakthrough in how a solo performer could create orchestral-scale, semi-improvised music on stage, and it's widely regarded as a landmark record in the wider wave of Erased Tapes-associated composers bringing modern classical music to a much broader, younger audience.

Olafur Arnalds is an Icelandic composer and producer who emerged from a hardcore punk background before turning to strings, piano and electronics. A founding-era artist on the Erased Tapes label alongside acts like Nils Frahm, he's since scored film and television (including Broadchurch) and built a reputation as one of the most technically curious composers in modern classical and neo-classical music, always looking for new ways technology can shape live performance.

Modern classical music quietly discovering a new way to breathe.

Watch & Listen

If You Like This, You'll Love…

Ben Lukas Boysen – Alta Ripa vinyl record

Ben Lukas Boysen - Alta Ripa

BEN LUKAS BOYSEN

£25.99

Matthew Halsall – An Ever Changing View vinyl record

Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View

MATTHEW HALSALL

£27.99

Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85–92 vinyl record

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92: Vinyl 2LP

Aphex Twin

£25.99

Air – Moon Safari vinyl record

Air - Moon Safari

Air

£29.99

Continue Exploring

Your recent discoveries, ready whenever you are.