Söngkonan Stína Ágústsdóttir fær lofsamlega umfjöllun um nýjustu skífu sína The Whale hjá hinum virta blaðamanni og ljósmyndara Leif Wigh hjá Orkester Journalen.
The Whale gaf hún út ásamt tríói sínu Stína Ágústsdóttir Trio seint á síðasta ári. Leif er þekktur í jazz-heiminum í Svíþjóð og þykir mjög kröfuharður gagnrýnandi þar í landi. Hann fer fögrum orðum um flutning Stínu og tríósins á skífunni. Hann segir m.a. að platan krefst athygli því Stína og tríóið fer óhefðbundnar leiðir og uppbygging laganna sé stundum óvenjuleg. Gagnrýnina í heild sinni má sjá neðar á síðunni.
Ásamt Stínu skipa þríeykið þau Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir píanóleikari og Mikael Máni Ásmundarson gítarleikari. The Whale kemur út í Evrópu 26. mars næstkomandi og er hennig dreift í gegnum Border, samstarfsaðila Smekkleysu í Svíþjóð. Border dreifir einnig fyrir tónlistarfólk á borð við Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Arlo Parks, Idles, Laura Marling, Childish Gambino og Khruangbin.
“A trio with an unusual, almost brittle sound, unusual chord progressions and romantic melodies. An album that you can’t stop listening to. The material requires a multitude of plays in a row, over and over again. Stína Ágústsdóttir has a distinctive voice. Located in the alt register with a caressing timbre and at the same time a convincing interpretation of lyrics.
Stína is, like the other members of the trio, from Iceland. A cold and volcanic area, that has grown many fine jazz musicians and singers. Already in the 1950’s, Icelandic musicians were imported to Sweden. In Simon Brehms band, if recall correctly, included the fine saxophone player Gunnar Ormslev.
The singer, Stína Ágústsdóttir, is now active in Stockholm and took part in the city’s last festival. Furthermore, she has worked in London and studied in Montreal. She has managed to release a number of albums that have received attention. In this last album, the group has chosen work by composers such as Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. In particular, Mitchell’s Both Sides Now is interpreted by Ágústsdóttir in a sublime and thoughtful manner. Even Aaron Parks, After the Rain (his solo on Nir Felder’s tune Bandits II) is given a tender and warm treatment.
Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir’s piano playing circles round the voice with tasteful and individual tones. As it seems, the songs are well planned and performed as a group. That also applies to Ásmundsson’s gliding guitar sound. In a high degree, fine and skillful playing by the trio as a whole.”
Leif Wigh, Orkester Journalen