Hjaltalin is an eight piece band from Reykjavik, Iceland and released this album on home territory to much acclaim in December 2007. Its release in Europe followed a year later and we’ve just got our hands on a copy for review and will be covering the band when they appear in Manchester in the next couple of weeks.

Coming from that part of the world one wouldn’t or shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a pop album but one that introduces a new and charming slant on the genre. Part of that originality and distinction comes from the band’s unusually large population of instruments which includes piano, accordion, bassoon, clarinet, cello, and a violin to accompany the fragile voices of the two lead vocalists.

That instrumnetal influence is heard imediately with the introductory track ‘Sleepdrunk Seasons II’ which could be mistaken for an opening gambit from a famous Northern England brass band. It’s strange how brass can pull at the heartstrings so strongly as it does here. In less than a minute it’s gone and we’re into the first song proper ‘Traffic Music’ that fairly races along with the band in full vocal and instrumental flow. There’s a gorgeous melody, the most unusual vocal duet, wonderful vocal harmonies and a band that oozes enthusiasm. The pace changes a couple of times in a song that is highly distinctive and verging on the epic. A brilliant start. And the good news continues with ‘The Boy Next Door’ with its stuttered vibe and swaying backing vocals. The lead vocal from Hogni Egilsson is magical and the melody driving the song is delightful. There’s also clever changes of pace when the the song drops several gears to go from speeding train to glacial. This incredible, adventurous and wonderful song (and album highlight) will be included on our radio playlist for next Sunday.

‘Goodbye July’ repeats the formula and my anticipation on seeing this band in the flesh is heightening… ‘Kveldulfur’ changes tack as an extended eerie and mysterious drone eventually introduces more solid instrumental sounds. It turns out to be a brief instrumental interlude before the adventurous ’Debussy’ arrives.  It’s a unique sound with no lyrics to speak of for the first couple of minutes which is dominated by soaring piano notes, other instruments and a repeated vocal refrain. The pace eventually slows and the vocal comes to the fore singing in Icelandic but it’s not long before the epic orchestral vibe returns to end the song. Wonderful.

‘Selur’ changes tack again with pace that is breakneck and is dominated by percussive rhythm and the most beautiful vocal chorus that sounds like one of those bass-driven Russian choirs. ‘Sleepdrunk Seasons I’ adds vocal meat to the opening brass dominated intro. The vocal travels the scale while the orchestral sound expands with the bassoon taking on a vocal/lyrical role (you have to hear this to understand what I’m saying). ’The Trees Don’t Like The Smoke’ is a contemplative and simpler structured song with an obvious message which has led to its nomination for the Time For Peace and Film Awards.  

‘I Lie’ is a deeply moving, stripped-down song of glacial pace. There are sparse piano and accordion notes behind an expressive vocal and a concise set of lyrics. ‘Trailer Music’ is in sharp contrast as it rushes along with clipped percussion and sweeping piano. Then the speed picks momentarily up as violins and other instruments take up the gauntlet before slowing and then picking up speed again. Its an epic and adventurous song that leaves one breathless, and wondering where the song is going next… Amazing!

FInally there’s the beautiful and simple bonus track ‘Pu Komst Vio Hjartad I Mer’ which is sung in Icelandic. It’s the only ’standard’ style of pop song here and is a cover of an Icelandic chart-topping song by Disco singer Paul Oscar and translates as ‘You Touched My Heart’.

This is a heart-warming feast of an album that offers a very different take on the pop music genre. It’s full of adventure, wonderful instrumentation and oozes with door-opening melodies that keep one involved from the first note to the very last. And as a battle-worn music journo I now can’t wait to see this band perform…

4.5/5