Low Roar


Low Roar was an Iceland-based post-rock/electronic music project founded by American immigrant Ryan Karazija. Originally a solo act, the band later added musicians Leifur Björnsson and Logi Guðmundsson.
After releasing five albums spanning over a decade, the band and the project itself was discontinued following the death of Karazija in October 2022. However, a posthumous sixth album was released on February 7, 2025.

History

After leading the California-based indie rock band Audrye Sessions from 2002 to 2010, Karazija relocated to Reykjavík, Iceland and started the new project Low Roar, releasing a self-titled album in 2011. A second album, 0, was released in 2014 through Tonequake Records, followed by Once in a Long, Long While... in mid-2017. The Low Roar album, ross., was released in November 2019, and the fifth album maybe tomorrow... was released in July 2021. A sixth album, titled House in the Woods, was released on February 7, 2025.
The band's discography features heavily in the 2019 video game Death Stranding, following a collaboration with video game designer Hideo Kojima, after Kojima chanced upon their music while in a CD shop in Reykjavík. Kojima described Low Roar's music as "sensual" and "unique". When Sony first contacted the band to license their music for Death Stranding, the band was struggling, with much of their music being recorded on a laptop in Karazija's kitchen. The use of Low Roar's music in the video game had a significant positive influence on the band's popularity.
In 2021, they recorded the song "Feels" for the mobile game Arknights, later released in full under the title "Fade Away" on their 2021 album. Their song "Help Me" plays over the end credits of the 2021 film Flee.
On 29 October 2022, it was announced that Ryan Karazija, founder and lead singer of the band, had died at the age of 40. Hours later, it was revealed that the cause of death was from complications with pneumonia.
On October 27, 2024, producer Andrew Scheps announced that the sixth album, House in the Woods, was finished, along with a release date of February 7, 2025. Additionally, Scheps announced two singles to support the album; "Field of Dreams", releasing on December 6, and a second single releasing January 3, titled "Just How It Goes".
The 2025 video game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features a handful of their songs, including "Patience" and "Hummingbird", as well as "Field Of Dreams" and "Just How It Goes" from the posthumous sixth album. The end credits of the game feature a tribute message to Karazija and the band. A concert tour, titled Death Stranding: Strands of Harmony, will run from late 2025 to early 2026 and feature songs composed by Karazija.

''House in the Woods''

House in the Woods is the sixth and final studio album by Low Roar, released on February 7, 2025 through Tonequake Records. It features vocals from Karazija, who died in October of 2022 but had recorded all of his parts for the album prior to his death. The songs "Field of Dreams" and "Just How It Goes" were released as singles.

Background

On September 20, 2022, lead vocalist Karazija posted on social media announcing the band's discography was going to be released on limited edition vinyl, along with mentioning a "new album called 'house in the woods'" in the same post.
After Karazija's death, it was also announced that a sixth album would be eventually released.
Over the course of 2023, producer Andrew Scheps would give updates on the band's social media about physical media releases and, at the end of the year, would give more updates regarding the production of the final album with periodic updates being posted throughout 2024. On October 27, 2024, Scheps announced that the album was completed and would be released on February 7, 2025. The announcement also revealed the release date for two singles off the album; the lead single "Field of Dreams" on December 6, and a second single on January 3, later revealed to be the song "Just How It Goes."

Track listing

Personnel

Low Roar
Additional personnel
  • – string arrangement on "None of Your Business"
  • Shara Nova – string arrangement on "Estella"
  • Ross Blake – saxophone, percussion
  • Emma Lindström – background vocals
  • Richard Lindström – additional musician, additional recording
  • Helge Sten – mastering
  • Chatham Forbes Jr. – artwork

    Discography

Albums

  • Low Roar
  • 0
  • Once in a Long, Long While...
  • ross.
  • maybe tomorrow...
  • ''House in the Woods''

    Soundtracks

  • Death Stranding - Songs from the Video Game
  • Death Stranding 2 ''- Songs from the Video Game''

    EPs

  • Casio Dream House
  • Hávallagata 30
  • Remix – EP
  • ''Inure''

    Live albums

  • ''Live at Gamla Bíó''

    Singles

  • "Waiting "
  • "The Sky Is Falling"
  • "I Won't Be Long"
  • "Slow Down"
  • "Darkest Hour"
  • "Do You Miss Me?"
  • "Everything to Lose"
  • "Hummingbird"
  • "Field of Dreams"
  • "Just How It Goes"