"Ey" is the second album of Noise From Iceland, a project by Kaśka Paluch, combining field recordings from Iceland with electronic music. This time, the set is also joined by archival songs, rhymes and Icelandic poetry from the vast catalog of Ísmús, the collection of Icelandic musical and cultural heritage, operated by the Icelandic Museum of Music, the Foundation for Icelandic Studies and the National Library of Iceland.

The album was created as a conceptual album dedicated to the Vestmannaeyar archipelago, in particular the island of Heimaey, which was almost completely flooded with lava during the eruption of Eldfell in 1973. Today, it is home to 4,500 people. The album also includes recordings from Flatey Island. The album "Ey" is the result of the fascination with "isolation in isolation", which we deal with when visiting isolated islands that belong to the already isolated Iceland from the rest of Europe.

- Living in Iceland, you have the impression that the rest of the world is somewhere else, which is usually a nice feeling - says Kaśka Paluch - But also the feeling that everywhere is far away. It fascinates me how to live on islands that are even more alienated - she adds - On Flatey Island, where one sound comes from, there are only a few people living. Heimaey, on the other hand, is unique because sometimes I feel more urban there than in Reykjavik, and on the other hand, there is some specific energy in it that creates an aura of mystery, a thrill. Maybe because the city is built at the foot of an active volcano?

The album opens with the song "Hidden People Story", which includes a recording of Kristín Níelsdóttir's statement, reading a story about hidden people - as "elves" are called in Iceland. - I approached the field recordings on the island of Heimaey nonchalantly. I decided that one visit would do the trick and collect all the necessary material. I have the impression that the elves did not like this approach - says Kaśka - Everything was wrong. The first microphone was already broken on the ship, the wind was so strong that no windscreen was working, and when I finally managed to catch the beautiful sound on the Eldfell volcano, it turned out ... that I did not turn on the recording. Such things are often associated with stories of elves getting angry at a disregard for nature. The second time I sailed to the island with more humility. There was no wind at all, which is almost unheard of on Heimaey. Everything was perfect - she says.

The selection of Icelandic songs and rhymes from the Ísmús catalog is loosely related to the experiences of this journey. - Above all, however, I want to present them in this new formula - combined with electronic music, techno and progressive house - to help attract a wider audience. Icelandic folklore, traditional poetry and tales are not very well known in the world. For me - an ethnomusicologist - discovering Ísmús was like walking into a toy store. I am even more happy and grateful to the people working there for allowing me to use their collections. And for the hard, painstaking work they do, adds the author.