For fans of contemporary instrumental music, Icelander Olafur Arnalds is an absolute godsend. After listening to this new album, it’s difficult not to be swept away by Arnald’s flair with atmospherics. What is impressive is Arnald’s ability to avoid cliched and trite ambiences by arranging cinematic vistas that build entire universes in the mind’s eye. This is clearly evident on the opening two tracks, Sudden Throw and Brim. For lovers of Ryuichi Sakamoto, Michael Nyman and Phillip Glass, Arnald’s shimmering piano compositions will bring pleasant familiar minimalistic gestures to the fore. Also present within Arnald’s compositional arsenal is a neo-classical bent that is keenly developed in tracks like Words Of Amber, Reclaim and Only The Winds. A lovely sonic adventure perfect for the flights of fantasy. KEVIN MATHEWS