Classical music in the embrace of minimalist electronics – Kiasmos will open Spectaculare

Spectaculare festival will start in February with a magical night full of Icelandic atmosphere, when silence and noise dance in perfect symbiosis. On February 28, Kiasmos will take to the stage of Prague's SaSaZu, a duo that embodies the delicate beauty and raw power of the Icelandic landscape and translates the fragility of classical music into timeless dance beats. Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen have created a musical world where minimalist electronica finds its essence in nature and delivers deep emotional experiences. They will bring their new album II and a live show full of Nordic moods and hypnotic beats to Prague.

Kiasmos is not just another electronic duo – it is a symbiosis of two masters of their field. Ólafur Arnalds, a well-known composer and multi-instrumentalist, is a master of piano compositions and gentle, melancholic melodies. Together with Janus Rasmussen, a pioneer of innovative electronics and synth sounds, he creates music that is technically precise yet utterly emotive. Kiasmos combines the intimacy of classical music with the minimalism of electronics so that every note has its own meaning and space. It is this balance between technique and emotion that makes them considered one of the most significant innovators on the contemporary scene. Their new album II, released in 2024, has gained critical attention for its advanced sound and ambitious orchestration, accompanied by the Icelandic SinfoniaNord orchestra. The album is dominated by tracks like „Dazed“ and „Flown“, which combine delicate piano melodies with rhythmic textures and ambient nature sounds. Record II is Kiasmos' third album in 7 years. According to Ólafur Arnalds, the duo took their time this time around. “We had the space to revisit it, reassess things and gradually get back into the rhythm of creating together." This process has led to a richer, more layered sound that visitors to the opening concert of the twelfth annual Spectaculare festival will be able to appreciate. Spectaculare festival will start in February with a magical night full of Icelandic atmosphere, when silence and noise dance in perfect symbiosis. On February 28, Kiasmos will take to the stage of Prague's SaSaZu, a duo that embodies the delicate beauty and raw power of the Icelandic landscape and translates the fragility of classical music into timeless dance beats. Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen have created a musical world where minimalist electronica finds its essence in nature and delivers deep emotional experiences. They will bring their new album II and a live show full of Nordic moods and hypnotic beats to Prague. Kiasmos is not just another electronic duo – it is a symbiosis of two masters of their field. Ólafur Arnalds, a well-known composer and multi-instrumentalist, is a master of piano compositions and gentle, melancholic melodies. Together with Janus Rasmussen, a pioneer of innovative electronics and synth sounds, he creates music that is technically precise yet utterly emotive. Kiasmos combines the intimacy of classical music with the minimalism of electronics so that every note has its own meaning and space. It is this balance between technique and emotion that makes them considered one of the most significant innovators on the contemporary scene.

Their new album II, released in 2024, has gained critical attention for its advanced sound and ambitious orchestration, accompanied by the Icelandic SinfoniaNord orchestra. The album is dominated by tracks like „Dazed“ and „Flown“, which combine delicate piano melodies with rhythmic textures and ambient nature sounds. Record II is Kiasmos' third album in 7 years. According to Ólafur Arnalds, the duo took their time this time around. “We had the space to revisit it, reassess things and gradually get back into the rhythm of creating together." This process has led to a richer, more layered sound that visitors to the opening concert of the twelfth annual Spectaculare festival will be able to appreciate.