Second albums have a reputation for being difficult, but they rarely take ten years to materialize. Kiasmos debuted in 2014 with a self-titled record that sketched out a distinct sonic blueprint; delicate piano and soaring strings backed up by icy electronics and an urgent rhythmic pulse. It was minimal techno with a composerly sensibility, a synergy between acoustic and electronic sounds that brought the grandeur and subtlety of modern classical music to the dancefloor.
A decade later, and the duo has returned with a follow-up, II - but it’s not as if they haven’t been busy. Kiasmos is Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Faroese musician Janus Rasmussen, two artists with thriving solo careers.
