Jóhann Jóhannsson

Icelandic composer and musician known for elegiac contemporary-classical works and film scores. Born 19 September 1969, died 9 February 2018. Notable for scores such as The Theory of Everything and Sicario and for albums including Englabörn.

Composed film scores for The Theory of Everything, Sicario, Arrival and Prisoners. Englabörn and Englabörn & Variations are among his well-known albums.

The available review treats Englabörn & Variations as a cold, elegiac work evoking the North Sea and deep, submerged life. Strings and sparse electronics are foregrounded; the writing is poetic and melancholic. The reviewer notes Jóhannsson's death (February 2018) and references drugs briefly. Rating given: 3/5.

For:Fans of contemporary classical, ambient and cinematic film music; readers who prefer elegiac, atmospheric compositions.