Eydís Evensen announces her sophomore album The Light

Icelandic pianist and composer will release her second album, The Light on, May 26. Following on her album debut Bylur and EP Frost, The Light further expands on Evensen’s expression, presenting her not only as a pianist, arranger, and lyricist but also for the first time as a vocalist.

Evensen cites two underlying themes to The Light: it is a deep reflection on the rough and rugged landscapes of Iceland and how they have shaped her personality, as it is a personal expression of a sense of hope and brighter times following hardship. Both are represented by the theme of light – the inner light that guides us and the natural light, so rare in the dark Icelandic winters. Written from personal experience at a time of relief and closure in her own life, Evensen is passing on here a message of both personal and collective hope and resilience to her listeners that better must come. Having dealt with personal challenges in the very best way she knows how – at the piano, making music, this cathartic experience of intense composition and performance has culminated in this project.

The title of the first single, Tephra Horizon – released today to announce the new album – refers to the imprint left on a landscape by volcanic ash from a single eruption. Her inspiration behind this track is her witnessing the Fagradalsfjall volcanic eruption of 2021 with its potentially destructive power and dramatic outcome. In the accompanying video directed by Einar Egilsson, we see Evensen returning to a site near the eruption, dancing on the tephra layer as if claiming the territory as her own.

Evensen also announced her first European tour, to take off in June this year. Get tickets here.

Stream & watch Tephra Horizon  here.