Pipedreams by Aldís Fjóla: EP Review

by Damien Reid March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Pipedreams by Aldís Fjóla: EP Review

The vocal intensity of Aldís Fjóla is a pure work of art, especially in their EP “Pipedreams.” The artist in the spotlight carries an essence of grunge, with elements of alternative rock. Each tune has an instrumental weight carried by guitar riffs among others, and a violin too!

“Pipedreams” is an EP blending darkness and mystery. It is layered alongside melodies any rock follower would enjoy. This starts with “Wasted”, a 1990s-inspired grunge rock piece alongside high-gain guitars and powerful drumming. Aside from that, a riveting singer grabs the mic and sings their heart out. While they’re at it, groovy basslines and a keyboard rhythm are consistent. The next one “Burn” is a gripping alternative rock song with a spooky tone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fascinating with a dark aura and forms a solid melody. Furthermore, as I explored the rest of the album, the ambiance of the title track moved me. It’s a slow-paced guitar and violin-driven hymn alongside a passionate vocal segment.

Aldís Fjóla’s EP is astounding and is also a team effort starting from Stefán Örn Gunnlaugsson who dealt with keys, synths, bass guitar, and songwriting and also produced the record. Joining in on that was Sigurdór Guðmundsson/Skonrokk on mastering the EP. A surprising violin addition from Halldór Sveinsson gave a nice classical twist to the rock sound. Powering through each track with epic drumming was Kristófer Nökkvi Sigurðsson, with Friðrik Jónsson’s energetic guitar riffs tagging along.