Underskog

Den 16. august slapp islandske Hjaltalín endelig det svært kritikerroste ”Terminal” også her i Norge. Nå straks, nærmere bestemt den 8. september, tar de turen til Oslo.

Hjaltalín

‘Terminal’

August 16th

Hjaltalín are Iceland’s newest sensation. Their debut album ‘Sleepdrunk Seasons‘, released to great acclaim in Iceland December 2007, was produced by Benni Hemm Hemm and Gunni Tynes of múm, and sold gold in Iceland.

The album was released in the rest of Europe in late 2008 and early 2009 and received universally positive praise across the continent including in the UK The Guardian, Drowned in Sound, Plan B and The Sunday Times.

In Iceland Hjaltalín have played with artist such Jens Lekman, Akron/Family, Danielson, Annuals and Bloc Party, and they have also toured outside of Iceland with Cold War Kids and fellow Icelanders múm.

2009 saw Hjaltalín touring constantly including playing festivals such as Latitute, Roskilde, Haldern Pop, Open’er, Truck, Slottsfjell and more. The band was also busy working on their sophomore album. Involving a full size orchestra they recorded in an old warehouse next to Reykjavík harbour and in Studio Hljóðriti, Iceland’s oldest and most legendary studio,

The new album, ‘Terminal‘, released to great acclaim in late 2009 in Iceland has already gone gold there and was voted best album by several critics including Iceland’s biggest newspaper, Fréttablaðið. The album has been hailed, “a true masterpiece” and “the best Icelandic album in years”. Hjaltalín also won ‘Best rock/pop album’ and ‘Voice of the year’ (Sigga) at the Icelandic Music Awards.

‘Terminal‘ will be released in all of Scandinavia on August 16th.

Hjaltalín are from Reykjavik, a band as promising as any of the other beautiful and eclectic artists the country has thrown up. With seven members, it’s difficult to know whether to call them a small orchestra, a mutated and overgrown rock band or something else entirely. Besides the regular guitar, bass and drums, the band also comprises piano, bassoon and a violin, complementing the exquisite lilt of Högni and Sigga’s vocals. This unique group of hugely talented musicians form an allegiance which has won a solid fan base amongst both critics and the public at home and Europe-wide. The rest of the world lies in wait and will surely be theirs in due course…

“They are that rare thing: a band who arrive unheralded, unknown, and ensnare you instantly.” – The Sunday Times

“smile -inducing, cockle-warming, discovery-making” – Financial Times (live review)

“A touch Arcade fire but more interesting, vocals are stunning, instrumentation is awesome. Joyous and gentle. Big colourful band to fall in love with. Soul, classical. Classoul.” – Huw Stephens, BBC Radio 1

“What makes Hjaltalin ooze with potential, and more importantly, sound nothing like any of their revered countrymen at all is their unflinching knack at being able to craft both winsome pop tunes alongside audaciously experimental arrangements with seemingly effortless ease.” – Drowned in Sound

“This is playful, frisky music that sounds like an endless summer night among friends.” – Guardian

“Strangely beautiful orchestral pop.” – Time Out

“…Det syv manns store orkesteret virvler her opp med suggererende strykere ispedd litt fagott og toppet med Högni Egilsson og Sigrídur Thorlacius vakre stemmer. Og islendingene lykkes svært godt med sin orkestrale pop som innimellom tenderer til croonermusikk. Litt Rilo Kiley har de nok også hørt på, men nå kan du trygt henge flere store band på Island-knaggen enn Sigur Rós. For med «Terminal» er Hjaltalín er i ferd med å bli nettopp det. Store.” (Ørjan Nilsson, Bergensavisen)

Den 16. og 18. juni spilte Hjaltalín live med Iceland Symphony Orchestra, et orkester som er på over 100 musikere. Begge konsertene, som fant sted på Háskólabíó (over 900 i kapasitet), ble utsolgt god tid i forveien. Hjaltalín er også bekreftet til Iceland Airwaves senere i år

“http://www.icelandairwavwes.is”: http://www.icelandairwavwes.is

http://www.hjaltalinmusic.com

myspace

Hjaltalín anmeldt av Lydverket (by:Larm) lydverket

Lydverket spanderer: lydverket spanderer

BA.No