Artist » Hjaltalín

• Released: 19.08.2010
• Region: GAS//SCAN
• Myspace: Hjaltalín's myspace
• Format: CD//MP3//LP
• Press Sheet: Press Sheet for Terminal

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 were also busy working on their sophomore album. Involving a full size orchestra they recorded in a 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.

Reviews on Terminal:

“Terrific show-tune soul” Mojo // 4/5

“Uninhibited and magical” Clash // 8/10

“Epic orch-pop from Iceland” Uncut // 3/5

“Masterpiece” Artrocker // 4/5

Reviews on Hjaltalín:

“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

“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
Here you can listen to a song from the album:

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