Arny Margret Expands 'I Miss You, I Do' Album
(Chromatic) Iceland's remarkable singer-songwriter Arny Margret follows the success of her second album I Miss You, I Do-released earlier this year and co-produced by Margret, Brad Cook (WAXAHATCHEE, Jensen McRae), Guom. "Kiddi" Kristinn Jonsson (Asgeir), Josh Kaufman (Bonny Light Horseman, Bob Weir, The Hold Steady), and Andrew Berlin (Gregory Alan Isakov)-with The Sjaumst Edition, a deluxe version out November 21st via One Little Independent Records.
This expanded release features an additional four brand new recordings: three stripped-back, piano-led reinterpretations of album tracks "I Miss You, I Do," "Born in Spring," and "Took the Train 'til the End," plus one entirely new, unreleased piano composition, "Sjaumst"-all produced by Margret herself. The atmospheric, evocative "Took the Train 'til the End (Alternative Version)" is out today.
Margret will travel stateside next month for a month-long tour in support of Of Monsters and Men. This weekend, she will headline her first show in Iceland on the 27th at Salurinn as part of their Songvaskald series. Last week, Margret shared a live session version of "Born in Spring" filmed at the venue in anticipation of the performance. A current itinerary is below.
I Miss You, I Do marked a profound creative step for Margret, evolving from the minimalist folk of her 2022 debut, they only talk about the weather, towards a richer, more textured, and, importantly more collaborative sound. Recorded between Iceland and the US with producers Kaufman, Berlin, Cook, and Jonsson, it layered her atmospheric, introspective songwriting with country-inflected ensembles, banjo, harmonium, and slide guitar. Where the album was coloured with an expansive Americana palette, I Miss You, I Do: The Sjaumst Edition offers something more intimate, focusing on the resonance of piano keys and the raw vulnerability of Margret's voice. These versions allow her melodies to drift in new directions, with space opening between each note and a stillness that invites in the listener. This new material closes a creative chapter for Margret, one that began on the road across continents and now finds its final words at a piano in an Icelandic studio.
"I wanted to try to make a few piano versions of some of the songs from the album. I then realized I wanted to do a bit more, make it sound different but still like me. So that's what I did," she explains. "I had been in touch with Nanna from Of Monsters and Men a few times and she introduced me to Bjarni Por Jensson, who recorded these songs with me at their studio here in Iceland. It was really fun to record these, I played every instrument and had full control over every sound. These songs are fully produced by me with the help of Bjarni, which I'm really proud of."
The stripped-back arrangements bring new light to songs that were already rich in imagery and emotion. Opening track "I Miss You, I Do" takes on an even more wistful tone, its longing joined by a distant harmonica. "Born in Spring," with its themes of renewal and cautious peace, feels newly fragile and immediate. "Took the Train 'til the End," originally a fuller, banjo accompanied piece, becomes a quiet reflection on worth and letting go. The new composition, "Sjaumst," slots naturally alongside them, telling a wordless story with all the tenderness and detail of Margret's lyrical work. Its rolling piano lines and subtle dynamics suggest shifting landscapes and quiet revelations, a reminder of her ability to speak volumes with such hushed tones. "It's an instrumental I recorded myself on a 4-track tape recorder at Hljooriti a while back. I added some vocals to make it make sense in my head because I'm a very lyric-driven person. This was so different to do and make, but I love it," she says. "It was something that just happened one day when I sat by the piano. I called it Sjaumst or 'see ya' in Icelandic, it can also mean 'to be seen,' which I feel fits well with the whole theme of the album. 'Sjaumst' feels like a good end and kind of a little goodbye to this project that taught me so much."
Arny Margret has supported the likes of Leif Vollebekk, Passenger, Wilco, Blake Mills, Asgeir, and more, and performed at festivals including SXSW, The Great Escape, Eurosonic, Newport Folk Festival, and Iceland Airwaves. She was nominated for 'Newcomer of the Year' at the Icelandic Music Awards 2022 and won 'Best New Act' at the Iceland Airwaves Plus Awards. In 2023 she was nominated for 'Song,' 'Album,' and 'Video of the Year' at the Icelandic Music Awards, winning 'Song of the Year.' Margret was also nominated for 'Newcomer of the Year' at the Icelandic People's Choice Awards. In 2024, she was nominated for Eurosonic's prestigious MME award, as one of ten emerging artists who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. She's performed a live KEXP session and been championed by the likes of Relix, Atwood Magazine, American Songwriter (feature), NPR Music ('NMF playlist'), Brooklyn Vegan, The Guardian, The Independent, Rolling Stone, NME, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash Magazine, and many more.
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