ÁSGEIR TO DROP ‘ALBUM IN A BOTTLE’ OVER ICELANDIC OCEAN AHEAD OF HEADLINE SET AT ICELAND AIRWAVES TOMORROW
Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and collaborator; the mighty Ásgeir is set to drop a one-of-a-kind 7” encased inside a ‘bottle’ into the ocean (pictured), ahead of his headline slot at Iceland Airwaves festival tomorrow night. The world-renowned musician has teamed up with geothermal utilization engineering company, Verkis, scientist Ævar vísindamaður and the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service to execute this unique project.
The bottle, which will be dropped from a helicopter just South of Reykjanes/Keflaviktomorrow will hold a very rare 7” of two tracks recorded straight to vinyl by Ásgeir earlier this year. The project serves as a unique way to create awareness on the impacts of human waste within the environment, particularly marine pollution. The bottle will be equipped with a satellite transmitter that provides its location every four hours via a GPS receiver, enabling viewers to observe the journey of the bottle live on Ásgeir’s socials and via Verkis’ website.
This very special bottle may take a few weeks, months or years to end up on a shore elsewhere in the world, and whoever finds it at the end of its journey will be the lucky winner of the rare 7”.
Back in July, Ásgeir recorded 30 unique 7″ vinyl’s during his 24h Straight-to-Vinyl recording marathon, broadcasted as live slow TV on Icelandic national television and on Ásgeir’s Youtube channel globally. In the last few weeks, Ásgeir’s fans world-wide have had the opportunity to get their hands on one of those vinyl’s via treasure hunts that have taken place in different territories. The treasure hunts come to a close with the ambitious undertaking of the ‘album in a bottle’ project.
Talking about the project, Ásgeir said: “I wanted to do something unique to help the environmental specialists in their research, and to raise awareness around marine pollution. This project is not only an interesting innovation for science, it also highlights a very important message – what goes into the sea does not disappear.”
Verkis have teamed up with the global chart-topper to raise awareness amongst a younger audience on the negative impacts of marine pollution. A spokesperson for the progressive engineering company said: “We believe collaborating with Asgeir on ‘the album in a bottle’ project will help engage a wider audience on the negative impacts of marine pollution, and spark further interest in the innovative technologies being used for this project.
“Using the GPS data along with the ocean and weather data, it is possible to do statistical analysis and build correlations expressing the effect of wind and current in more detail on the movement of the bottle. These results will give us a better understanding of how things drift in the ocean.”
Previous experiments by Verkis have seen their bottles travel thousands of miles across the Atlantic sea, lasting well over a year and reaching destinations as far as Scotland and Norway (having begun in Iceland).
Tracks on the 7″:
A SIDE: Hljóða nótt
B SIDE: Hærra
Both songs originally on Ásgeir’s critically acclaimed debut album Dýrð í dauðaþögn
ÁSGEIR AT ICELAND AIRWAVES:
November 2nd – Akureyri
November 3rd – Reykjavik
https://open.spotify.com/album/7xgICvH80PgbdaxFrX09S7
WATCH ‘UNBOUND’ VIDEO HERE:PRAISE FOR ‘AFTERGLOW’
“The eerie Underneath It, the gently throbbing I Know You Know and the glitch Unbound will appeal to fans of Bon Iver and James Blake”
The Sunday Times
“Afterglow is an absolute treat for the ears, with chattering electronic melodies, glitchy stop-start sections, and warm synth swells.”
Metro
“This latest release looks to pave the way for global domination.”
NOWNESS
“A taut and gleaming piece of electro-pop, R&B-smooth keys creating a reflective pool off which Ásgeir’s shimmering vocals bounce.”
Consequence of Sound
“There’s a tight-knit intimacy and soulfulness to the album that feels familial and warm, even as the music itself carries a glacial chill. There’s nothing conventional or expected about Afterglow, an album that submerges all ego and blissfully loses itself in oceanic imagery and crystalline soundscapes. At the same time, the songs are instantly familiar, like old friends, departed loves, or bittersweet remembrances.”
NPR
“Wonderful moments such as the chaotic creativity of “Here Comes The Wave In”, the bold ballad “New Day” and the elegiac “Hold”
Uncut
“Asgeir became the toast of Iceland with his gorgeous debut album…he’s returning with an edgier, electronic element to his sound”
Evening Standard
“Gorgeous trip-hop piece where he parallels the vocal stylings of Justin Vernon and the darkness of James Blake”
The Observer
“An exciting example of what’s to come, the Icelandic superstar is set to go global.”
Wonderland
