The cellist and singer Gyða Valtýsdóttir gained prominence as a founding member of Múm, a defining act in Iceland’s experimental-pop scene. She took a break from that group to study classical music and improvisation. “Epicycle,” her 2016 solo début, offered crafty, idiosyncratic transformations of works spanning two thousand years.

Now, on that album’s sequel, Valtýsdóttir performs works composed for her by an imposing lineup of leading Icelandic creators, collaborating with four of them. Some of the musicians, like her fellow art-pop renegades Ólöf Arnalds and Jónsi, emphasize her crystalline, eldritch voice. Others, including Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Daníel Bjarnason, deploy her cello in yearning lines and voluptuous waves. Altogether, the album offers otherworldly transport.

1. Unfold - Skúli Sverrisson

Gyda - Cello

Skúli Sverrisson - electric bass & farfisa

Arranged by Gyda & Skúli

2. Safe to Love - Ólöf Arnalds

Gyda - Voice & Cello

Arranged by Gyda

Lyrics by Ólöf Arnalds

3. Mikros - Anna Thorvaldsdóttir

Gyda - Cello

4. Morphogenesis - Úlfur Hansson & Gyda

Gyda - Cello

Úlfur - Elka Synthex, minimoog, H3000

& Custom Built Analog Synthesizer.

Written String Arrangements

5. Liquidity - Kjartan Sveinsson & Gyda

Gyda - Voice & Cello

Kjartan Sveinsson - Piano

Julian Sartorius - Drums

Aaron Roche - Guitar

Shahzad Ismaily - Bass

Lyrics by Gyda

6. Air to Breath - Daníel Bjarnason

Gyda - Cello

7. Evol Lamina - Jónsi

in collaboration with Gyda

Gyda - voice & cello

Jónsi - composition & processing

8. Octo - María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir

in collaboration with Gyda

Gyda - cello

Albert Finnbogason - moog drone

Produced by Gyda Valtysdottir aside from:

Evol Lamina produced by Jónsi

Safe to Love produced by Gyda & Jónsi