New album from Benjamin Rajani

Benjamin Rajani is an artist based in Copenhagen but deeply informed by the Faroese culture of his homeland. As a singer-songwriter, he brings together poetic lyricism, elegant melodies and cinematic emotional impact to create something profoundly personal yet widely affecting. A native of the Faroe Islands, his music is laced with the windswept melancholy of the North Atlantic, offering a tone he owns fully, shaped by the sparse beauty of home and inspired by the likes of Sigur Rós and Neil Young. That blend of spacious soundscapes and grounded lyrical writing gives his work a weight that feels intimate yet vast.

His creative awakening came while studying psychology in England, where, away from the Faroe Islands, he developed a renewed connection to his native language, spoken by fewer than 70,000 people. That rediscovery sparked a prolific wave of songwriting, over 90 songs in Faroese emerged during that time. It was a turning point, not just creatively but emotionally, placing language and identity at the heart of his art.

First entering the studio in 2016, he introduced his sound with the To Be Torn EP and has since built a catalogue of singles that have struck a chord with listeners around the world, collecting hundreds of thousands of spins online. His music has made waves far beyond his island origins, landing on the airwaves of the Faroese National Broadcast Company and bringing him to the stage at the renowned G! Festival.

Now, he brings us his most ambitious release to date with his debut full-length record titled Tá hvørt ljós líkist tær, released through the Tutl Records imprint. The album is a graceful fabric of indie folk foundations threaded with delicate baroque-pop flourishes of strings, horns and harmonies that recall the classic work of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, yet feel entirely his own. It’s a record that takes big emotional swings while holding on tightly to the small details that make his songwriting so compelling.

With Tá hvørt ljós líkist tær, Benjamin plants a firm stake in the landscape of modern indie folk while staying true to a voice shaped by both cultural heritage and inner reflection. Across the record, he explores the soaring highs and hollow lows of romance, alongside wistful reflections of childhood and the simple joys of youth.

Opening the LP with “Orð eru fátæk,” the laid back lilting sway of traditional folk instrumentation sets up Benjamin’s gentle vocals, flickering between Faroese and English to craft an intimate soundscape that gradually blossoms into an epic surge of marching rhythms and airy melodic leads. “Royni enn at gloyma” offers a delicate soundscape of intricate instrumental plucks, drifting sonic textures, rustling percussion and expressive vocal performance.

On “Lívsins balkong,” he creates a stripped back, piano-focused sound capped by hushed vocal work as the arrangement expands with tinges of lofty folk rock flair to cast a truly spellbinding listening experience. Other highlights on the record include songs like “Greinar sum svørð” which reveals the more playful side of Benjamin’s sonic vision and touches of his progressive folk experimentalism.

Previous single “Mánakvøld” offers a stunning sound of moving folk songwriting wrapped up in a dreamy sound of mesmeric instrumentation and alluring vocals. Closing the album with “Her er mín hond,” he delivers a brief instrumental piece with whispers of his melodic writing, bringing the release full circle to conclude his spectacular debut record in a satisfying way.

Listen to Tá hvørt ljós líkist tær below