Low Roar

Biography

Low Roar was a post-rock and electronic music project founded by American-born Icelandic musician 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. A posthumous sixth album, which was under production at the time of Karazija's death, was later 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.×Ross.8 November 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Darkest Hour3:002Slow Down3:463H.A.F.H.4:154I'll Make You Feel5:465Not Around5:0762223:537Feel Like Dying3:078The Machine5:369Blue Eyes2:0410Empty House5:04, was released in November 2019, and the fifth album maybe tomorrow... was released in July 2021. A sixth and final album, titled House in the Woods×House in the Woods7 February 2025 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Some Day Come Back To Me3:342Field Of Dreams4:213Just How It Goes5:144None Of Your Business5:385Mom5:236Estella2:217Double Trouble7:048Two Worlds Apart6:499Gone Fishing5:1010InterStella1:3011House In The Woods5:02, 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×Feels23 October 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Feels4:00" 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×Field Of Dreams6 December 2024 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Field Of Dreams4:21", releasing on December 6, and a second single releasing January 3, titled "Just How It Goes×Just How It Goes3 January 2025 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just How It Goes5:13".
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.

Albums

Low Roar (2011)
0 (2014)
Once in a Long, Long While... (2017)
ross. (2019)
maybe tomorrow... (2021)
House in the Woods (2025)

Soundtracks

Death Stranding - Songs from the Video Game (2020)
Death Stranding 2 - Songs from the Video Game (2025)

EPs

Casio Dream House (2014)
Hávallagata 30 (2014)
Remix – EP (2015)
Inure (2020)

Singles

"Waiting (10 Years)" (2017)
"The Sky Is Falling" (2018)
"I Won't Be Long" (2018)
"Slow Down" (2019)
"Darkest Hour" (2019)
"Do You Miss Me?" (featuring Emma Lindström) (2020)
"Everything to Lose" (2021)
"Hummingbird" (2021)
"Field of Dreams×Field Of Dreams6 December 2024 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Field Of Dreams4:21" (2024)
"Just How It Goes×Just How It Goes3 January 2025 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Just How It Goes5:13" (2025)