Iceland is the 23rd album from pianist/composer Michele McLaughlin and is a solo piano recollection of her two trips to Iceland with her sister in 2016 and 2021. A place I'd really like to visit myself, Michele's music actually moved that trip up my bucket list several notches! Michele has always been a vivid storyteller with her music, and this album is no exception, making it easy to imagine the rugged coastline, unique animals, Northern Lights and more. The CD includes a booklet with stunning photographs and descriptions of what inspired each piece. Recorded in Michele's home studio on her Fazioli 9' concert grand piano, the album was mastered and engineered by Joe Bongiorno at Piano Haven Studio. As always, the sound quality is excellent.

Our tour through Iceland begins with "Aurora," a piece inspired by seeing the Northern Lights on a clear but windy night. The music swirls and dances, beautifully emulating the excitement of seeing the lights as well as the movement of the wind. "Gale Force" also expresses powerful, intense movement. "Roaming Free" is much lighter and gentler, and refers to the sheep that freely roam the countryside (except in winter, when they are rounded so they can survive the harsh weather). Very bright and lively, much of "Icelandic Rain" is played in the upper octaves of the piano, giving it an icy, intense feeling - definitely one of my favorites! "Foss" is the Icelandic word for "waterfall," and there are about 10,000 of them in Iceland. This piece also expresses quick, intense movement and is joyful and dancelike. "Middle of Nowhere (Möðrudalur)" is very spare, almost desolate, at the beginning, gradually picking up the tempo as it unfolds and describing an experience Michele calls magical and inspiring. "Eruption" is another favorite and describes being at the site of an active volcano, standing next to flowing lava, feeling the intense heat and hearing it crackle and hiss. "It was one of the most incredible things I've ever experienced." Very dark and powerful in some passages, lighter and more graceful in others, Michele very effectively uses the deep bass of the piano to describe the awesome power of the experience. "Hestur" is the Icelandic word for "horse," and the piece with that title is exhilarating as it describes a breed that is unique to Iceland. "The Ring Road" is the circular main highway around the outer edges of Iceland. This joyful piece is about Michele and her sister's adventures while driving that road. "Westman Island" was inspired by a community off the southern coastline of Iceland that includes a magnificent rock formation known as Elephant Rock. Light and carefree, it was obviously a very happy day! There are 269 glaciers in Iceland. The ice is blue and the glaciers sit on black sand beaches - a stunning sight, I'm sure! The piece called "Blue Ice" is slow with a steady, gracefully rolling rhythm and a simple but very descriptive melody. Our journey comes to a peaceful close with "Just Above the Horizon," a piece about the soft, golden light that is much like an all-day sunrise or sunset. Where's my suitcase? I wanna go!

Iceland is certainly one of Michele McLaughlin's best albums so far! It will be released on December 6, 2024 and is available to pre-order now from Michele's website as well as Amazon, Bandcamp and Apple/iTunes. CDs can be pre-ordered on Michele's website and Bandcamp. Sheet music and a songbook with all of the pieces will be coming soon, too! Highly recommended!