According to Greek
mythology, Elysium is a paradisiac „island of the blissful“
in the utmost West of the orbit for those heroes who were made immortal
by the Gods. Tasting the water from the fount of Lethe on lanes full
of roses, all earthly troubles are fading away. On his fifth studio
album, the Icelandic producer Jonas Thor Gudmundsson takes us right
there.
Besides his Mikrolux album "Magrathea" (2003), he caused a
furore by his Elektrolux long players "Midnight Drive" (2000)
and "Avalon" (2003). The student of history and learned pianist
got his first „electronic consecrations“ from Magnus Gudmundsson
and Birgir Thorarinsson also known as members of the Icelandic pop collective
Gus Gus. Since the end of the nineties, he has been producing under
his pseudonyms Den Nard Husher and Ruxpin - initially for the Icelandic
cult labels Thule and Uni:form. Under his musical influences, Gudmundsson
e.g. counts The Orb, Tears for Fears, Plaid, Art of Noise or Kraftwerk.
This
extensive musical horizon is reflected by "Elysium" as well.
Ruxpin stands for a sensually matured mixture of fantastic melodies
and spheres under the sign of elektro and an original und deeply bewitching
blend of mechanics and romance. "Even if several purists may have
a different view on this, I consider my music to be elektro which is,
however, stylistically more open than a mere combination of 808 plus
vocoder. However, I have to admit that, on a subconscious level, the
nature of my home country with all its mountains, glaciers and volcanos
brings about a considerably more organic sight on music on. In my opinion,
the enviroment is not less important for a musician than for e.g. a
painter.” Thus, Ruxpins intensively emotional hymns like "Creating
Artificial Love", "Without You", "Hallo Litli Geimgenglill"
or "Garden Of The Hesperides" indeed make everyday life become
secondary for about 70 minutes.