ÓLAFUR ARNALDS AND TALOS RELEASE STIRRING SINGLE “BEDROCK” FEATURING SANDRAYATI
"A DAWNING" LP OUT JULY 11
On stage at OPIA Festival, October 2023: Talos, Sandrayati, JFDR, Dustin O'Halloran, Ólafur Arnalds.
Credit: Maximilian König, Download Hi-Res here.
13 JUNE 2025 (TORONTO, ON) – Today, the beautiful new single "Bedrock" from Icelandic composer and producer Ólafur Arnalds and the late Irish musician Eoin French, best known as Talos, is released.
The track stands proudly as a totem of their emotional and musical connection; French sings in a strange, lilting cry, stirring something ancient within as he is joined by Indonesian-Filipino artist Sandrayati. As their voices rise and fall, you imagine waves crashing against the rocks, eroding the surface, with Ólafur’s piano notes as immovable as stone.
The song was written in west Cork, while Arnalds was staying with French: “We would drive around a little bit – he showed me the ruins of a ceremonial circle,” he recalls. Arnalds felt an instant connection with his friend’s home, knowing the history of Irish monks who came to Ireland and of the Vikings who established the town that would later become known as Dublin. “There’s a defiance in both countries, an island mentality, which I think is often a result of us fighting to keep what is uniquely ours – there’s a certain energy that comes from that,” he says.
Sandrayati says, "It's incredible how music has the ability to transcend time and physical laws.. singing with Eoin always felt like that, and now even more so. This song is carved into me now."
The single is the latest instalment from their upcoming album, A Dawning. Out July 11, the record is a profound meditation on friendship, loss and experimentation — one that began as a collaboration and became a symbol of their creative kinship following Talos’ passing last summer.
"Bedrock" follows previous singles "Signs" and "We Didn’t Know We Were Ready", featuring Niamh Regan,Ye Vagabonds and a choir of friends. The track received a powerful televised debut in January on RTÉ’s The Tommy Tiernan Show, where Arnalds and the featured artists were joined by the likes of Dermot Kennedy and The Staves for an emotional live performance of the track.
The album process began in 2023, when French and Arnalds first started working together at Sounds from a Safe Harbour Festival in Cork, when they had both been invited to take part in a residency at the event. They quickly formed a close bond, working in Arnalds’ Reykjavík studio and later in French’s home in West Cork. When French fell seriously ill during a trip to Iceland, the project deepened in meaning and urgency. Arnalds ultimately finished the album after French’s death in August 2024 , guided by the music they created together and the memory of their time shared.
“We made this album together,” Arnalds says. “Even after, while I was there working on some arrangements, I never felt like I was truly alone. Near the end, where we were saying how grateful we were to have met each other, he told me, ‘You know, I’m still gonna be there.’”
A Dawning is testament to those eternal bonds forged through music, a lasting monument to Talos’ incredible legacy, his community and the wonderful friendship that he and Arnalds shared.
Lead Press Shot [Credit: Bríd O' Donovan] - Hi-Res here
Sandrayati Press Shot [Credit: Dóra Dúna] - Hi-Res here
ABOUT ÓLAFUR ARNALDS:
Ólafur Arnalds is an Icelandic BAFTA-winning composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for his ability to blend classical, electronic, and ambient sounds. With critically acclaimed albums and numerous collaborations, Arnalds has become a leading figure in contemporary music, pushing the boundaries of sonic expression.
ABOUT TALOS:
Eoin French, known professionally as Talos, was an Irish musician celebrated for his evocative voice and genre-defying sound. With influences ranging from electronic to orchestral music, Talos built a loyal following through his deeply personal and atmospheric compositions.
A Dawning Tracklist:
- Shared Time
- Signs
- Bedrock feat. Sandrayati
- west cork, 12 feb
- Borrowed Time feat. Alexi Murdoch
- A Dawning
- for Steph
- We Didn’t Know We Were Ready feat. Niamh Regan and Ye Vagabonds
A Dawning Album Artwork by Eoin French [Download Here]