What Stays is a collaboration between Arctic Norway-based pianist Susanne Darre and composer/producer Tjomur (Tomasz Jurczyszyn) from Warsaw. The project began through the Opia Community Discord channel created by Ólafur Arnalds, where the two artists first connected before continuing their conversations online and developing the idea into a collaboration.

A meditation on memory, connection, and transformation, What Stays explores the subtle remnants of movement and change—the emotions, impressions, and fragments that linger long after moments have passed. Quiet and reflective in nature, the piece holds onto what feels essential even as everything else shifts and fades.

At its heart is an intimate piano performance by Susanne Darre, recorded during winter in Northern Norway. Captured on her Schimmel piano in an old, unheated wooden barn, the recording reflects the stark beauty of its surroundings. Playing in wool clothing, a hat, and fingerless gloves, Darre performed in near-freezing temperatures, allowing the cold air, natural acoustics, and profound stillness of the space to shape the emotional character of the piece.

Drawn to the emotional depth of Darre’s piano work, Tjomur embraced the opportunity to collaborate with immediate enthusiasm. His electronic arrangements grew organically from the original recording, responding to its phrasing, atmosphere, and sense of space. Warm analog textures from classic instruments—including the Roland Juno-60, Prophet-5, tape echoes, and the iconic EMT 245 reverb—expand the sonic landscape while preserving the intimacy of the piano performance.

Working across distance, the artists developed the piece over several weeks through an intuitive and fluid creative process. Rather than overthinking, they allowed instinct and mutual trust to guide the music. The piano remained the emotional anchor throughout, while carefully crafted electronic layers introduced new dimensions of warmth, movement, and depth.

For both artists, What Stays became more than a musical collaboration. It stands as a reflection on human connection—how meaningful relationships can emerge across geographical distance, and how even the most delicate ideas can leave a lasting imprint.

The single artwork was created by Susanne Darre and is based on her own photography captured along the Norwegian coastline, extending the project’s visual language and sense of place into the artwork itself.