One glimpse into Hildur Gudnadóttir’s discography is enough to reveal the breadth and versatility of the Icelandic cellist and composer’s musicianship. Included among her more high-profile works are collaborations with Angel and Pan Sonic, as well as guest appearances with fellow Icelanders múm and Jóhann Jóhannsson. In addition, she has supported Animal Collective on tour as a member of Stórsveit Nix Noltes, has composed music for theater, film, and dance, and has co-written a choir score with Throbbing Gristle for the Derek Jarmen film In the Shadow of the Sun. While she has consistently added a richness and emotional depth to these collaborative works, Gudnadóttir has only recently begun to branch out as a solo artist. Adopting the moniker Lost in Hildurness, she released her debut album, Mount A, back in 2007. It's a highly reflective and exploratory work that beautifully showcases Gudnadóttir’s understanding and love for the cello’s expressive capabilities. On Without Sinking, her first release with Touch, Gudnadóttir drops her pseudonym and demonstrates an emerging confidence in her individual sound.
In terms of methodology and mood, Without Sinking essentially picks up where Mount A left off. Once again, the pieces are dominated by the layered and overlapping sounds of Gudnadóttir’s cello, as they combine to create a generally austere and melancholic atmosphere. However, when compared to the majority of Mount A, there are moments throughout Without Sinking when Gudnadóttir opts for a less dense and amorphous approach. Tracks such as “Erupting Light” and “Into Warmer Air,” for example, possess an uncharacteristic forward momentum with clear melodic lines at the forefront. Despite these more traditional, song-based moments, Without Sinking still finds Gudnadóttir utilizing her strengths as she weaves dense and encompassing textures using little more than the natural sound of her instrument.
Also in contrast to Mount A — which was under her sole control until the mixing process — Gudnadóttir has decided to invite guest musicians into the creative process this time around. Contributing bass, organ, and clarinet respectively, Skúli Sverrisson, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Hildur’s father Gudni Franzson were given the freedom to add their parts once Without Sinking’s tracks were written and composed. For the most part, these contributions are relatively subtle, serving only to heighten the impact of Gudnadóttir’s cello. The one exception is Franzson’s appearance on “Aether,” which is certainly one of the album’s highlights. On this track, the interaction between Gudnadóttir’s zither and Franzson’s delicate clarinet melodies becomes the focal point, as the cello gently rises and falls in the background, adding dizzying texture and color. Such moments reveal the delightful possibilities that may arise if Gudnadóttir were to continue to embrace her collaborative spirit within the framework of her solo material.
Overall, Without Sinking’s most impressive quality remains Gudnadóttir’s continued use of classical methods and instrumentation to emphasize the experimental notion of ‘sound’ over ‘song.’ While contemporary musicians seeking a similar end result may rely on modern digital effects and processing, Gudnadóttir leaves her instrument relatively untouched, allowing it to interact with the natural acoustics of the recording space. It is through this general technique that she achieves her goal of finding a connection between the experimental and classical world, and, in turn, produces a highly expressive and absorbing album in the process.