I first came across mt. fujitive back in 2022. I don’t remember precisely how or where… but I was surprised that such a talented beatmaker from Iceland could have flown under my radar for so long. Fortunately I was able to track down his prior releases before they got too expensive – with edition sizes of 300 each, and distribution primarily in Europe, these can get pretty pricey. When I learned that his new album, afterlife, was being put out by Icelandic label Alda Music, I was relieved as I knew I’d be able to get a copy put on hold for me that I could pick up while in Reykjavik for Iceland Airwaves.
mt. fujitive’s prior releases felt like collections of short musical stories, each track a unique composition with it’s own twists and quirks. The albums themselves didn’t feel cohesive, but instead more like literary anthologies – collections of interesting sonic ideas. afterlife is similar in that the tracks are relatively concise (none are more than three minutes, and about half last less than two), but also feels more mature, the instrumentation deeper, the influences wider-ranging, the presentation subtler. Sure, there are beats here. But there are also sweet grooves, like the soulful and sensual bass of “Summer Days”, which then flows right into the lightly tropical (and aptly named) “Coast”, which then pivots to a 70s television drama theme with “Spirits”. There’s definitely a 1970s “mellow gold” undercurrent flowing through afterlife that grounds the listener, putting you in a frame of mind to appreciate everything else that is to come.
afterlife isn’t currently on mt. fujitive’s Bandcamp page, but you can stream it on various services including his Soundcloud page HERE, while the green swirl vinyl is available on the artist’s Big Cartel page HERE. It’s truly lovely, and one you should definitely seek out.