Jóhann Jóhannsson
The Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, a Golden Globe winner and nominee for an Oscar, BAFTA, and Grammy, among others, recently released his debut album on Deutsche Grammophon. Inspired by diverse interpretations of the ancient Orpheus myth—from Ovid to Cocteau—the work takes listeners on a journey from darkness to light. Themes such as death, rebirth, transformation, and the fading of memory are central, serving as metaphors for the creative power and beauty of artistic creation. The album unites a wide range of sonic textures: it combines acoustic instruments both as soloists and in interplay with electronic elements and the mysterious shortwave sounds of so-called numbered radio stations. Furthermore, compositions for solo cello, organ, string quartet, string orchestra, and a cappella singing from various periods of the artist's career are incorporated into Orphée.