Presenting an intoxicating depth of sound from the ambient to the intense, Icelandic artist Sporfari pairs industrial rhythms with synth-wave arrangements and impassioned vocals, for the likes of the enchanting to euphoric new electronica anthem Echoes.
Beautifully captured and produced, Echoes intrigues first of all for its trip hop design and the contrasting of this upfront beat and the dreamier tones making up the outer layers. The song then weaves in a raspy and poignant vocal, distinct and emotional by nature, and a song that reflects upon the concept of adoring and dreaming of someone you’re yet to meet.
It’s a romanticised and rather sublime presentation, and the song gathers a mighty level of momentum as it rolls through these contemplations – the final quarter in particular achieving a rather profound level of immersive audio passion and power.
Huge production and engaging grooves are a key aspect of the Sporfari sound. The voice is also forever recognisable within this, and the songwriting consistently balances the poetic and personal in a way that feels vague but intentional.
When There’s No One There (Listening) is another recent single, a little faster paced and with longer-form, simple rise and fall lyrics for the verses. The sound is still distinct as Sporfari, but the set-up feels a little more mainstream-ready in its simplicity and familiar resolve. That ability to connect with both the underground and the mainstream is always valuable, and Sporfari continues to exercise it well.
Back in 2019, Sporfari began this trajectory with cinematic design and deeply conscious musings. Would You Be Here noted influence from the likes of Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails, but this unique balancing of delicacy and weight proves increasingly unmistakable as you explore the Sporfari catalogue – with each new track, you know exactly the artist you’ve been embraced by. The songs are poetically provocative, vague and intriguing, strangely personal, and this meets the ambient escapism of the music brilliantly.
One more noteworthy single from Sporfari is the dramatic and hypnotic 2022 release The Thorn In My Side. Here a mellow pace is juxtaposed by a clear sense of electro-string-driven intensity. Whispered voices are again intimate and trip-hop-kissed – nostalgia takes hold, the melody strong – engaging and somehow both dark and optimistic all at once.
This track is a personal favourite for its unexpectedly shifting tempo and the call and response vocals, which back up an immensely growing energy and boldness that peaks beautifully for the euphoric musical crescendo.
Rarely do we find such established and alluring production delivered alongside thoughtful and indeed personal songwriting and honest vocals. The Sporfari sound is clearly a thing of its own right now, and the songs are fascinating, thought provoking, and a pleasure to lose yourself within for a while.
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