In The Silence is the English language version of Dýrð í dauðaþögn which is the biggest selling debut album to date in the singer's native Iceland; a remarkable achievement given that he is still only 20.
The songs were translated with the help of ex-Czar, and now solo, John Grant who gets to play king in the rather silly video for King And Cross which features monarchs cavorting in the mountains with a symbolically cracked mirror.
A curiosity is that most of the lyrics for the ten songs were written by Ásgeir Trausti's 72 year old father who still lives in the family home in tiny hamlet of Laugarbakki with a population of just 40.
As you might guess from titles like Summer Quest and Hide Your Head In The Snow, the key images are mainly about being in harmony with nature and pondering on the changing seasons.
The songs are short and folky in spirit but hooky enough to err on the side of soft pop.
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They are strong on melody and high on sensitivity with Ásgeir's high-pitched, hymnal voice sounding not unlike Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.
The focus on silence, harmony and oneness with the elements renders it as a kind of Indie gospel music.
The single Torrent is the biggest production the swell of instrumental backing suggesting a powerful surge of water.
The anglicised vocals will doubtless widen his audience but, even though I don't speak a word of Icelandic, I would still prefer to hear these sung in his mother tongue.
Ásgeir's website
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