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Artists

JFDR

“[‘The Orchid’] has a delicate nature, as if pushing too hard against its razor-sharp melodies and tone would shatter it. One to admire, from a distance.” — The FADER

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JFDR – the project of Icelandic experimental singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Jófríður Ákadóttir – announces Museum, her new album and debut for UK tastemakers Houndstooth, out April 28th. JFDR says Museum is “an album about clearing and healing; like breathing fresh strong air through your old self.” Inspired by the discovery of ideas lost to time after a period of creative stasis, its nine songs capture fleeting moments into a timeless monument. On the haunting lead single/video “Spectator,” Ákadóttir’s voice is a glowing aura in a mist of glittering guitar and delicate instrumentation. “I am the spectator, I am the middle man,” she intones in a half-whisper before later asking, “How can I help you if I always get it wrong?” “‘Spectator’ is an anthem for the codependent, a lullaby for the ones slightly codependent and for those who have never felt it; a mirror into the raw thought process of someone deep in the trenches of it,” JFDR says. “The video was made with my good friend Timothee Lambrecq, and the unmissable support from my husband Josh Wilkinson and old bandmate Áslaug Magnúsdóttir. The clouds represent thoughts, and getting swallowed by a big cloud is symbolic of the thoughts that can overtake you, when you lose your ground. I also wanted to reference the album and its artwork that centers around a statue, representing energy frozen in time. I truly hope this song makes someone feel seen. It can take a long time to learn to navigate big emotions, whether they’re your own or others’. I was feeling it at the time.” As a 14 year old in Reykjavik, Ákadóttir began her musical career, exploring the vast universe of experimental music while retaining a massive heart at her core. Over the past 12 years, Ákadóttir has released 12 records, including as a member of Pascal Pinon and Samaris, collaborated with renowned artists Ólafur Arnalds and Damien Rice, scored the award-winning Icelandic film Backyard Village, and garnered fans across the world – including Björk, who cites Ákadóttir as an inspiration. Following 2017ʼs Brazil, her first record as JFDR, Ákadóttir returned with 2020ʼs New Dreams, “very haunting, electro-pop music, thatʼs very subtle, very inward looking” (NPR Music) and “the kind of album that might give you space to reach your own small revelations” (Stereogum).

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