Recorded in Reykjavík, the album is based on a new edition of piano transcriptions published by Faber Music and spans Jóhannsson’s career, from studio albums such as Englabörn and Orphée to his landmark scores for documentaries and feature films including Copenhagen Dreams, Personal Effects and the Golden Globe-winning The Theory of Everything. The album follows two EPs released in late 2025, Film Themes and From Englabörn, which together introduced seven of the album’s tracks.The first single from the album, Melodia (III), is out now, listen here.
Ott, who never had the opportunity to meet Jóhann Jóhannsson, prepared for the recordings by speaking with several of his friends and collaborators, including producer and engineer Bergur Þórisson, in whose Reykjavík studio the album was recorded. “There’s a very special intimacy and urgency in his musical language,” she says. “The way he builds the architecture and structure of his music really allows you to refocus and reflect.”
Most of the album was recorded on Þórisson’s old upright piano. “It’s one of the most beautiful instruments I’ve ever encountered,” Ott recalls. “It creates a very modern and intimate sound, with a touch of nostalgia.” She adds, “With just one piano it’s a more condensed and focused sound, but it brings out hidden textures and nuances that highlight the way Jóhann plays with sound and time.”
The artwork was created in collaboration with Jóhannsson’s longtime collaborators Jónatan Gretarsson and Anders Ladegaard. The LP will be available on black vinyl and as a special crystal-clear edition, with a limited number of copies, along with CD editions featuring signed art cards, available exclusively in store.
