Album pick, June 2026
The summer has always been a time of festivals and concerts, so this month I wanted to highlight and album by the band that awakened my love for gigs and festivals.
That is why I am choosing Ótta by Sólstafir.
Album cover
A few years ago, they were on tour with Katatonia and they did a concert in belgium. Having wanted to go to a concert for a long time, I decided to go to this one, along with a colleague at work, who was also really into Katatonia. This being the first proper concert that I went to, it was a genuinely pleasant experience. There was a really chill and nice atmosphere in the building, everyone was there for the same thing. And the music was absolutely amazing! Sólstafir gave an absolutely amazing show!
Even before this concert Sólstafir was one of the first bands that I really became a fan of and I can say that I have all their albums in my record collection. Each of them is a master piece in their own regard.
Ótta is the band’s fifth studio album and here they stay really close to their Icelandic roots, once again. The album follows the flow of an old Icelandic way of keeping time; where they day is divided into eight equal parts. As such the album has eight tracks, starting at midnight and going throughout the whole day;
| nr | Title | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lágnætti | Midnight |
| 2 | Ótta | Dead of Night |
| 3 | Rismál | Dayrise |
| 4 | Dagmál | Morning |
| 5 | Miðdegi | Midday |
| 6 | Nón | Noon |
| 7 | Miðaftann | Mid Evening |
| 8 | Náttmál | Nighttime |
I wouldn’t give the album the label of “metal”; it is a very atmospheric and somewhat etheric album. It is definitely not an album to be skipping around tracks or listen in pieces. Just like you cannot skip through the day and have to follow the flow of time, it is best if you follow the flow of the album.
The atmospheric theme of the album is presented perfectly in the music video for “Miðaftann”. Completely filmed in black and white, wide open landscapes, yet using stark contrasts as well. Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely love black and white with sharp contrast. A masterpiece of a video that complements the track perfectly.
My favourite track on the album is “Náttmál”, the final piece of the album and the final piece of the day. The time to reflect and finish the day. Beyond this I don’t think I can or have to say much more about the album, have a listen and let it speak for itself!