Eythor Arnalds Unveils 'Body Of Water,' A Meditative Lead Single From Upcoming Album 'Music for Walking'
- Andy Roberts
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Icelandic cellist and composer Eythor Arnalds returns with “Body Of Water,” a serene and deeply absorbing piece that glides between contemporary classical minimalism and cinematic ambient sound. Serving as the first glimpse into his forthcoming album Music for Walking (out 29 May 2026 via Alda Music), the single sets the tone for a project designed less as a traditional listening experience and more as a companion to movement, reflection, and altered states of awareness.
Unfolding at an unhurried pace, “Body Of Water” moves with a gentle inevitability. Its strings swell and recede in natural, almost tidal patterns, creating a quiet sense of forward motion without ever rushing toward a climax. The composition breathes, mirroring the steady rhythms of walking and inhalation, and invites the listener into a calm, open space where time feels softened rather than measured.
Recorded at Harpa Concert Hall and in the studio of Grammy-nominated producer Bergur Þórisson, “Body Of Water” benefits from a sense of clarity and scale that never feels overbearing. Conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason, the performance balances precision with emotional openness, allowing the composition’s fragility to remain intact.
The accompanying visual, created by artist Vikram Pradham with creative direction and photography by Oliver James Broughton, extends the piece into the physical realm. Filmed at Reykjavík’s historic Tjarnarbíó theatre and the city pond, and performed by Arnalds’ pregnant partner Ástríður Ólafsdóttir, the choreography adds a striking layer of vulnerability and life-in-motion, echoing the music’s themes of impermanence and growth.
With “Body Of Water,” Eythor Arnalds continues to refine a deeply human approach to composition, music that doesn’t demand attention, but rewards those willing to slow down, walk, and listen.
