New Noise & HUM proudly present an exclusive China show for Kiasmos, the duo of Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroese musician Janus Rasmussen presenting their long-awaited second album II. A new era dawns for the highly influential Icelandic electronic duo Kiasmos.

 

 

Comprising longtime friends and collaborators Ólafur Arnalds (who also gathered global fame as an incredibly skilled classical pianist) and Janus Rasmussen, their seminal self-titled debut album in 2014 garnered critical acclaim, followed by a string of EPs that have continued to captivate fans worldwide. Finally, in 2024, Kiasmos returns triumphantly to the live stage after over five years, sparking eager anticipation for the sonic journey they have prepared for us.

 

When Kiasmos started out in the late 2000s, little did they know that their part-time supergroup would go stratospheric. It was the sound of two old friends from neighbouring islands striking out against the stark piano and electropop music that they were individually celebrated for and effusively sharing their love of Berlin-inspired beats. But their pairing blew up into a world-dominating live act whose music went on to define the decade.

 

Kiasmos have an enviable knack for conveying complex emotions and evocative visuals with instrumental music. But this time they’ve got more experience as producers to draw on.

 

The album’s expansiveness can be linked to Ólafur’s intervening years as a Grammy-nominated composer and prominent soundtracker in film and TV. And they’ve subtly shifted from four-to-the-floor to the frenetic broken beats of UK dance music, experimenting more with BPMs, echoing Janus’s time spent DJing in major venues worldwide.