Starting out as drummer for several hardcore/metal bands, Ólafur was asked to write instrumental intros and outros for the album "Antigone" of German metal band Heaven Shall Burn. This led to more work in the field of neo-classical strings and piano based music, and ultimately to the release of Eulogy for Evolution and the beginning of Ólafur's partnership with Berlin based label Erased Tapes. In 2008 he embarked on a tour with fellow Icelanders Sigur Rós.
In 2009 he started a week-long project of composing one track by day, making it immediately available online to his fans. The collection was later officially released under the title Found Songs. He repeated the same experiment in 2011 under the title Living Room Songs. Also in 2009 the ballet Dyad 1909 premiered with a score composed by Ólafur. Choreographed by Wayne McGregor and performed by Wayne McGregor Random Dance, the ballet was inspired by Ernest Shackleton’s Nimrod Expedition to the South Pole in 1909. That year he also started Kiasmos, together with Janus Rasmussen. Kiasmos is a minimal techno based project. Their self titled debut album was released in 2014, preceded by the Thrown EP.
In April 2010 Ólafur released his second full-length album entitled ...And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness, which was backed up with an extensive tour, including his first trip to China.
His third album, and the first to be released under his new partnership with Universal Music's Mercury Classics imprint, is titled For Now I Am Winter and planned for international release in February 2013. Expanding on his previous work the new album features a full orchestra and – for the first time – introduces vocals to his soundworld. Icelandic singer Arnór Dan is to be heard on four tracks of the album.
More recently Ólafur has been venturing into the world of films, writing his first Hollywood film score to Another Happy Day. He also had music in the hit film The Hunger Games and has been featured several times on popular American television show So You Think You Can Dance. For 2013 his scores include the music to the ITV thriller series Broadchurch, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, as well as to the film Gimme Shelter, directed by Ron Krauss and starring Vanessa Hudgens and Brendan Fraser.
In 2014 Arnalds won the prestigious BAFTA Television Craft Award for his score to the BBC's hit detective series 'Broadchurch'.
Himininn er að hrynja en stjörnurnar fara þér vel
Ólafur Arnalds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were playing in the park,
And you asked me what happens when you die.
I said you forget everything... everything.
'Even you?' you asked.
Yes, even me.
You did not want to die. Never forget.
The remains of what we used to have were taken away with the softest squeeze.
The lyrics to Ólafur Arnalds' song "Himininn er að hrynja en stjörnurnar fara þér vel" (translates to "The sky is falling but the stars are shining upon you") are melancholic and poignant, exploring themes of loss, death, and memory. The verses describe a childhood memory of two friends playing in the park and discussing the concept of death. The singer tells his friend that everything is forgotten after death, including himself. The line "you did not want to die" stands out as a painful reminder of the inevitability of death and the fear associated with it. The song's chorus, with its ethereal vocals and soaring orchestral arrangements, conveys a sense of acceptance and hope, as if to reassure the listener that even when everything feels like it's falling apart, the stars will always shine.
The experience of loss is universal, and the lyrics resonate with anyone who has lost someone or something dear to them. The song's title itself is a reference to a poem by Icelandic poet Jónas Hallgrímsson, which speaks of the transitory nature of life and the beauty of the stars shining in the midst of chaos. This sense of beauty amidst chaos is reflected in the song's instrumentation, which combines piano, strings, and electronic sounds to create a dreamlike and otherworldly atmosphere.
The last verse, in which the singer asks "how did I forget?", suggests a sense of regret and longing for something that is lost forever. It's a poignant reminder that memories, like life itself, are fleeting and can be lost forever. However, the beauty of the song lies in its ability to evoke emotions that transcend time and place, reminding us that even in moments of darkness, the stars will still shine upon us.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you still remember when we were little?
Do you recall the time when we were young and innocent?
We were playing in the park,
We were having fun in a place where nature meets urbanity.
And you asked me what happens when you die.
You posed the question about the mystery of the afterlife.
I said you forget everything... everything.
I responded that when you pass on, your memories vanish, completely.
'Even you?' you asked.
You expressed surprise and disbelief that even those closest to us also face forgetfulness.
Yes, even me.
I confirmed that I too would become a fading remnant of the past.
You did not want to die. Never forget.
You showed that you had a deep attachment to life and the people in it, and to always cherish them.
The remains of what we used to have were taken away with the softest squeeze.
Our memories, and what we had shared and held dear, were gone just as easily and in a gentle manner.
How did I forget? How...
I am questioning the loss of what used to be a cherished memory and how it has slipped away.
Writer(s): OLAFUR ARNALDS
Contributed by Lily K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Z4YK0T1K
2:15
Lyrics
Do you still remember when we were little?
We were playing in the park
And you asked me...
"What happens when we die?"
And I said...
"You forget everything."
"EVERYTHING."
"Even you?" you asked...
"Yes, even me."
You did not want to die.
NEVER FORGET
The remains of what we used to have...
Were taken away
With the softest squeeze
HOW DID I FORGET?
H O W ?
@be_blue_
2:15
우리가 어렸을 때를 아직도 기억해?
함께 공원에서 놀고 있었지
네가 물었어
"우리는 죽으면 어떻게 돼?"
나는 답했지
"전부 잊어버리게 될 거야. 전부 다. "
"너까지? "
네가 물었고
"응, 나까지. "
...넌 죽고싶어 하지 않았어
절대 잊을 수 없어
우리가 가졌던 흔적들은
부드럽게 뭉개져 사라져버리고...
내가 어떻게 잊을 수 있겠어?
어떻게?
@Koe002
"You forget everything."
"EVERYTHING."
"Even you?" you asked...
"Yes, even me."
You did not want to die.
Never forget.
@coiny1
...WHA-----
@mrx4022
Brightheart: "I don't know when the end came for Swiftpaw. All I remember is him fighting like all of Lionclan; so that's so I'll remember him."
@Z4YK0T1K
2:15
Lyrics
Do you still remember when we were little?
We were playing in the park
And you asked me...
"What happens when we die?"
And I said...
"You forget everything."
"EVERYTHING."
"Even you?" you asked...
"Yes, even me."
You did not want to die.
NEVER FORGET
The remains of what we used to have...
Were taken away
With the softest squeeze
HOW DID I FORGET?
H O W ?
@susamnuma5730
I already knew but the lyrics are actually really sad...
@Twinklethefox9022
What's sad about this is that it's 2 little kids talking amongst each other about that
@raeman_ray382
Why does this make my heart soft
@F4CKR0R0CH4N
@@Twinklethefox9022 it's like about kids talk about death, and it's like they forgot but 1 person remembered i think..?
@philrei2797
I don’t want forget about my best friend… even if these few happy memories bring also so many regrets, and pain of loss… these memories with her is everything I have… they give strength to move on…
@captainshadowfox
This is really nice
I take that back, it’s still nice, but it literally got me into an Existential crisis to the point I cried. This is perfect for existential crisis