neonme's new album emerges as a mesmerising masterpiece, an exceptional showcase of composer Salka Valsdóttir's versatile artistry. Hailing from the Icelandic landscape, Valsdóttir, a musical polymath, blends her talents as a sound engineer, music producer, and performer to craft an unparalleled sonic adventure. With Iceland's National Theatre and City Theatre as her canvases, her multidisciplinary brilliance unfolds into something remarkable, disconcerting, and all-encompassing – a true debut spectacle.
premiere's genesis is a sprawling odyssey, weaving through ethereal saxophone, delicate samples, and suspenseful crescendos. Valsdóttir's theatrical expertise shines through tracks like "tea", exuding visceral subtlety, or the luminous soliloquy within "If I Remember," where she processes a haunting encounter. Notably, her rendition of Stephen Sondheim's "Wait" from Sweeney Todd is a deliriously excellent twist.
Offstage, Valsdóttir's sonic experimentation knows no bounds. She crafts an ethereal universe, melding organic sounds like flowers and bees with unconventional elements like salad bowls, vacuum cleaners, and even vibrators. The result is a sonic landscape that transcends the ordinary, shaped with masterful precision. Neonme is an unparalleled auditory journey, a testament to Valsdóttir's boundless creativity.
neonme says, “This album is the first piece of music that I write that feels completely true to myself as a musician. It took me a while to figure out who I was as a musician outside of a band as I’ve always had collaborators and created music through a somewhat compromised process. This task, figuring out my sound, was very overwhelming and it took me about four years to create the album from start to finish."
