Pascal Pinon (band)

Pascal Pinon
Origin Iceland
Genres Folk pop, folktronica
Years active 2009 (2009)–present
Labels Morr Music
Associated acts Samaris
Website pascalpinon.com
Members Ásthildur Ákadóttir
Jófríður Ákadóttir

Pascal Pinon is a musical group from Reykjavík, Iceland and is composed of twin sisters Ásthildur and Jófríður Ákadóttir.[1]

History

The sisters formed the band in 2009 with Halla Kristjánsdóttir and Kristín Ylfa Hölmgrimsdóttir. The name is a reference to the early 20th century circus performer Pasqual Piñón.[1][2]

Pascal Pinon in 2009

The group has described their music as “… simple and honest, filled with both melancholy and optimism. We hope to make music that can inspire, soothe heartaches and warm you inside.”[3] Pascal Pinon songs are sung in their native Icelandic language as well as English.[1] The sisters have cited Tegan and Sara, Björk, Joni Mitchell, and Sinead O'Connor as influences.[4][3] Jófríður Ákadóttir is the main songwriter and singer. She plays guitar as well as clarinet and keyboards. Ásthildur Ákadóttir usually sings harmony, plays various keyboards, guitar and bassoon. They have also expressed a “weak spot” for lo-fi music, cassette tape noise and toy synths.[3] The group has performed in Europe and the UK multiple times (2010-2014, 2016, 2017), as well as giving concerts in China (2011, 2015) and Japan (2012). In March and April, 2017, Jófríður and her cousin (Hildur Berglind Arndal) toured Europe. Hildur played piano and sang harmony. In June 2017 Jófríður announced that Albert Finnbogason would be producing an album of Pascal Pinon songs with string arrangements by Ian McLellan Davis and vocals by Jófríður and Ásthildur.[5] In November 2017 Jófríður and Ásthildur reunited for a headlining concert at the Iceland Airwaves music festival, performing with a string section.

Music

In 2009, when they were 14 years of age, they released their first album, Pascal Pinon. It was entirely self-produced. Re-released by the Morr Music label in 2010, it was described by Allmusic as “a truly lovely record”.[2][4]

In January 2013 the group, now a duo, released their second album, Twosomeness (produced by Alex Somers).[4] The album received an 8/10 rating from Clash, with writer Gareth James calling it “a rare and beautiful treat”, while it received four stars out of five from Allmusic writer Tim Sendra, who described the songs as “… very magical and wrapped in warm, slightly sad mystery”.[6][7] Michael Cragg of The Guardian wrote “… these Icelandic twin sisters make gorgeously intimate songs… ”[8] In 2013, Nico Muhly named them to a New York Times “Must List” of daily music, describing their music as “… strangely catching.”[9]

In November 2015 Jófríður described their album Sundur as "… raw and real, minimalistic and a bit melancholic… "[10][11] After its release in 2016, reviewers gave the album high praise: Tony Clayton-Lea in The Irish Times said that in Sundur "… the sisters manage to construct a minimal soundscape that is part sad dream, part tender magic… "[12] Derval McCloat described Sundur as "… a stirring account of humanity, love, loss, hope and, above all, sisterhood… " and "… a series of magical moments at times shrouded in mystery, ‘Sundur’ gives us a glimpse into the secret world of siblings, a fascinating phenomenon that transcends the physical."[13][14] Sundur was featured as one of The Line of Best Fit Fifty Essential Albums of 2016. [15] It was named as one of Play Repeat's 10 best albums of 2016.[16] New Noise Magazine placed Sundur in their top 16 of 2016.[17]

Jófríður is also the singer for the Icelandic electronic music group Samaris.[18] She has also contributed to many other musical projects, including: Gangly, Muted, Lapalux, and Low Roar.[19][20][21][22] In 2015 Jófríður began a solo career, performing under the name JFDR.

Discography

Albums

  • Pascal Pinon (2009), (self produced)
  • Pascal Pinon (2010), Morr Music
  • Twosomeness (2013), Morr Music
  • Sundur (2016), Morr Music

Singles, EPs

  • Pascal Pinon EP (2009) (self produced)
  • I wrote a song EP (2010), A Number of Small Things
  • Party Wolves EP (2012) Morr Music
  • JFDR - White Sun Live. Part I : Strings (Includes Pascal Pinon songs), EP (2018) Morr Music

References

  1. 1 2 3 Monger, James Christopher "Pascal Pinon Biography", Allmusic. Retrieved 5 May 2013
  2. 1 2 Sendra, Tim "Pascal Pinon Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 5 May 2012
  3. 1 2 3 Balitro, Polly ",Pascal Pinon Dreck Magazine 13 August 2013
  4. 1 2 3 Lewis, Casey (2013) "Pascal Pinon Talk About Their New Album 'Twosomeness'", Teen Vogue. Retrieved 5 May 2013
  5. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BSRShQcD2cs/
  6. ↑ James, Gareth (2013) "Pascal Pinon - Twosomeness", Clash, 14 January 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013
  7. ↑ Sendra, Tim "Twosomeness Review", Allmusic. Retrieved 5 May 2013
  8. ↑ Cragg, Michael "Pascal Pinon – Bloom: New music", The Guardian 7 May 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2013
  9. ↑ Muhly, Nico , New York Times, 16 October 2013
  10. ↑ http://grapevine.is/culture/music/2015/11/18/swimming-through-seasons-jofridur-akadottir-unveils-a-poetic-new-project/
  11. ↑ canyouearit.com/, 5 March 2016
  12. ↑ http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/album-reviews/pascal-pinon-sundur-review-part-sad-dream-part-tender-magic-1.2768408
  13. ↑ http://www.the-monitors.com/2016/09/05/far-away-so-close-pascal-pinon-sundur/
  14. ↑ https://dervswerve.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/pascal-pinon-sundur-apart-and-together/
  15. ↑ https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/listomania/fifty-best-albums-2016/4
  16. ↑ http://www.playrepeat.net/blog/2016/12/18/alexs-10-best-albums-of-2016
  17. ↑ https://newnoisemagazine.com/top-16-punk-ish-chunks-2016/
  18. ↑ Schipani, Vanessa (26 May 2011). "Mad Scientist Samaris". The Reykjavík Grapevine (6–2011): 26. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  19. ↑ http://blog.kexp.org/2016/04/13/song-of-the-day-gangly-fuck-with-someone-else/
  20. ↑ https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/low-roar-teams-up-with-jofridur-akadottir-for-bones-the-first-taste-of-lp3
  21. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BVrwh5iDJea/
  22. ↑ http://kaltblut-magazine.com/press-play-lapalux-flickering/
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