Ólöf Arnalds hails from Iceland and was making her way through the US opening for Blonde Redhead when she graced the dublab studio for a “Sprout Session.” We had already been familiar with her album “Innundir Skinni” on One Little Indian. The record is a modern folk gem produced by Sigur Rós band member Kjartan Sveinsson and featuring collaborations from Björk and other Icelandic creative stars. The liner notes read like an unlocking of exotic instrument cabinets. Though she is deeply planted in the world of Icelandic folk she is striving to shape her own unique world of sound apart from any stereotypical branding that may be applied to her country’s distinct scene: forest fairies, mist and dreamy dew. Though she is adamant to avoid such classifications her music has a sense of the magic one might find floating in a stream bubbling up from the volcanic Earth of Iceland. Her dublab session is a beautifully stripped down solo set. It opens with a very short, traditional Icelandic folk song, moves on to share many of her wonderful compositions and even includes a cover of Arthur Russell’s country folk tune “Close My Eyes.” Throughout Ólöf paints a picture of calm and clarity that is a beautiful thing to behold.