Kiasmos, the Icelandic ambient techno supergroup of Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen, are returning to Australia for the first time since 2017.
It was a decade wait until we finally got their second album 'II', but when the duo did get back into the studio they produced one of the most magical albums of 2024. "There was no grand plan or moment where we said, 'let's do this'," Janus explains."It sort of crept back into our lives. We'd both been off doing our own projects for years, and suddenly it felt like we had something to bring back to the table. It wasn't rushed, and I think that's why it worked. It felt natural again."
Their 2014 self-titled debut album only took a couple of weeks to record in the studio, but 'II' took much longer to recreate the magic. "It had a bit of this dreaded second album curse where we overthink the success of the first one and spend way too much time trying to create the same magic," Ólafur states.
"Of course the magic was there because we didn't think about it and it's impossible to recreate that, but maybe throughout this over-thinking we found what became the direction of the album, a collection of more intricate sound design and well-thought-out ideas. That kind of approach requires a lot more studio hours."
Janus and Ólafur are massively successful outside of Kiasmos with their own solo projects and collaborations, both having released numerous works in the past decade since Kiasmos' first album.
"Definitely difficult to juggle, which is one of the reasons we took so long to get back. We wanted to make sure we could give Kiasmos our full focus and not half-ass any of it," Ólafur says.
"Yet it never felt like a chore," Janus adds. "We've always protected Kiasmos from becoming just another project. We make space for it when it feels right. That freedom is what keeps it fun for both of us."
The last time Kiasmos were in Australia was in 2017. This July it will be a completely different show with new music and production. "I think our 2017 Australia tour was pretty bare bones in terms of production," Ólafur remembers.
"We have a bit more focus on visuals and lighting now as it creates a huge part of the atmosphere and the arc of the show. We want our shows to tell a story and bring people on a journey and we felt that two guys fiddling with some buttons onstage was not that exciting of a story.
"Musically we've also changed how we play the music live with new arrangements of every song to support that arc, yet with enough flexibility to allow for some improvised moments."
Fans would have noticed that Kiasmos released the standalone single 'Sisteron' earlier this year. There may also be one or two songs leftover from the 'II' sessions that might be released in the future.
"We haven't written anything new since the record as we've just been a bit too busy with the touring, but we still have a few songs that we left off the record that may see the light of day," Ólafur explains.
"We've got little sketches here and there, but there's nothing concrete yet, but we haven't had the headspace to dive into it properly. I'm sure we'll find our way back once everything slows down again," Janus adds.
It took ten years for 'II' to come out and Ólafur says they'll take a similar approach if they need to for any future recording going forward. "We will probably take our time and only do it when and if the time feels right," Ólafur says.
"Kiasmos is a joy for us as it's a welcome break from the day-to-day pressures of a musician. It feels like a holiday and we would like it to remain that special."
Kiasmos 2025 Tour Dates
Thu 10 Jul - Open Season @ The Princess Theatre (Brisbane)Sat 12 Jul - Sydney Opera House
Sun 13 Jul - Odeon Theatre (Hobart)
Wed 16 Jul - The Rechabite (Perth)
Fri 18 Jul - Illuminate Adelaide @ Hindley Street Music Hall
Sat 19 Jul - Northcote Theatre (Melbourne)
