For most of the world living in Iceland is only indirectly experiencable through music. The volcanic island is populated by around 320K people, 1/50 of the population of Istanbul at any given time. It’s pretty much the exact opposite of what I’ve been through in all my life, so naturally I’d love to visit Iceland for the breathtaking scenery, yet this trip seems doomed after the crisis, enter Yagya as an alternative.

Aðalsteinn Guðmundsson has been making music for some time and I’m sure everyone interested in minimal / dubby techno music still remember his 2002 release “Rhythm on Snow” on Force Inc. His third album Rigning is once again inspired by weather, as it’s the Icelandic word for “rain”. It’s also the dominant theme in the album more evident especially on the beatless tracks.

Contrary to most dub inspired minimal techno, the beats are mixed very low in the tracks, thank God, as crisp minimal techno tracks tend to get boring very soon despite all the complex drum programming. Rigning’s rhythms never take the center stage and when they do, they are generally simple 4/4 beats. The real meat is on the subtle melodies and the harmony between different elements. It’s a dreamy journey from the start to finish and to make the most of this journey, you have to set your mood first and experience it from start to finish.