The more effort you put into something, the more you get out of it.
I like to work with people that I find interesting and stimulating artistically, and the field in which they're perceived to work is secondary and not that relevant to me.
The drone is a very fundamental part of my music, although it's not always present.
When I work on films, I like to be involved from as early as possible. I think this is really good and beneficial in terms of absorbing the atmosphere of the film and for the music to become a part of the DNA of the film.
Film is a collaborative medium, and I very much enjoy that.
I very much enjoy working with talented filmmakers who have a good sense for music, who have a strong feel for music and for what music can do in a film.
I get restless very easily; I don't like to do the same thing twice.
If you look at my career, you'll find that the same record doesn't show up more than once. I try to challenge myself with every project.
With 'The Theory of Everything,' it seems that people really like the voice I've found with the music, which is great. But I may not do that again. Every project is different.
When I make film music, I'm a filmmaker first and foremost. It's about serving the needs of the film. You're telling a story; in a way, you stop becoming a composer and become a storyteller instead. You tell the story with the most appropriate themes. How you approach these things is a very personal matter, but your goal is to tell the story first.
I started out writing music for theatre and contemporary dance, so there has always been a dramatic and narrative element in my music.
My first album, 'Englaborn,' was based on music originally written for the theatre. My solo albums, like 'IBM 1401, a User's Manual' and 'Fordlandia,' have also had narratives attached to them.
I think you are always influenced by your surroundings and where you grow up. Your environment is always one of the things that shape you, and the music scene in Iceland was a very important factor in shaping me.
I tend to get hired because the filmmakers like what I do, so there's usually not that much conflict about the direction.
I always relish the idea of collaborating with the director on creating the sound world, the sound spectrum, and the sound environment of the film. I use every means at my disposal to create a score that is as strong and powerful to enhance the director's vision for the film.
There are some stunning visual moments in 'Arrival' that are out of this world, but it's all on the earth, and it's about an academic, a woman that is dealing with a personal tragedy, but there's a circular view of time that makes things more complicated.
I tend to spend quite a lot of time on the film scores that I do.
