The idea music might be governed by national boundaries is mostly nonsense (how to explain the popularity of Morrissey in Mexico?), but there is something otherworldly about the debut from 26-year-old Ornelius Mugison, who hails from the alien landscapes of Iceland. Lonely Mountain conjures heaving tectonic plates and deep, isolating snow drifts, and reveals an ear fine-tuned to the sonic periphery. His glitch electro has a pastoral bent and is set against warm grooves for a sinister pop twist. The gloriously unhinged “I’m On Fire” suggests Tom Waits remixed by Four Tet, and “Poke A Pal” even recalls Jeff Buckley’s dramatic sensuality. A dark and delicate yet full-bodied delight.
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