Originally, Úlfur’s “Heaven in a Wildflower” was meant to feature the extra-terrestrial vocals of Sigur Rós frontman and bandmate Jonsí Birgisson. But, when tour scheduling prevented that particular collaboration from happening, its six-plus minutes of strings and flutes and thickets of woodwinds were left to themselves, a decision’s that made the highlight from the Icelandic composer’s solo debut, White Mountain, all the more hypnotic. Featured instead are the instrumental talents of Sigrún Jónsdóttir (who contributed to Bjork’s Biophilia and Volta) and Skúli Sverrisson (a noted Blonde Redhead collaborator), both of whom breathe life into Úlfur’s composition in ways that may have been overlooked had anyone so much as hummed over them.
