Deutsche Grammophon releases Jóhann Jóhannsson’s “Drone Mass”.

Most people probably hadn’t heard of Jóhann Jóhannsson before he won the Golden Globe in January 2015 for his score for The Theory of Everything, James Marsh’s film based on the life of Stephen Hawking. However, the Icelandic composer, who died in 2018 at the age of 48 from a cocaine and drug overdose, had long been known on the contemporary music scene. In 2016 he signed with Deutsche Grammophon and on 18 March one of his most acclaimed works was released: Drone Mass, previously unreleased on record. Today you can read my full review of this album, recorded by ACME and Theatre of Voices and directed by Paul Hillier, on the Rockelux website. The Rockdelux website is free to visit, but you have to register.