{"id":23167,"date":"2010-08-24T13:28:10","date_gmt":"2010-08-24T11:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/?p=23167"},"modified":"2010-08-24T13:28:10","modified_gmt":"2010-08-24T11:28:10","slug":"intervju-med-islands-mest-spannande-nya-band-hjaltalin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/?p=23167","title":{"rendered":"Intervju med Islands mest sp\u00e4nnande nya band: Hjaltalin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hjaltalin \u00e4r ett isl\u00e4ndskt band som hemma p\u00e5 Island slog igenom med dunder och brak med f\u00f6rra plattan: s\u00e5lde guld p\u00e5 hemmaplan, spelade runt om i Europa med bland andra Bloc Party, Cold War Kids coh Jens Lekman.<\/p>\n

Nya plattan TERMINAL sl\u00e4pps i sverige den 25 augusti, och har redan f\u00e5tt lysande recensioner utomlands i bla MOJO 4 av 5, Clash Magazine 8 av 10.<\/p>\n

Kulturbloggen lyssnade p\u00e5 kommande skivan, tyckte om vad vi h\u00f6rde och fick en intervju med bandet. F\u00f6r att vi inte ska missa n\u00e5got med \u00f6vers\u00e4ttning publicerar vi intervjun som det var, p\u00e5 engelska:<\/p>\n

You are said to be the next big Icelandic band. I think that the mainstream Swede have only heard about two Icelandic band\/musicians before: Sigur Ros and Bj\u00f6rk.
\nYour music is quite different from theirs, I think anyhow. How would you describe your music?<\/strong>
\nIt’s difficult to describe, really, but the term ”chamber pop” may be appropriate, at least regarding the first album (Sleepdrunk Seasons). Hjaltalin’s sound today is more orchestral and wide rin scope. We try to use uncommon instruments, taken from the classical world, to create a new soundscape.<\/p>\n

How do you work when you create your music?<\/strong>
\nUsually one of the two major songwriters in the group, H\u00f6gni and Viktor come up with an idea or a song structure that we work out together. Some songs are written in cooperation but some of them come from those two fully written and arranged. We like to try new numbers live and change them, even from concert to concert.<\/p>\n

What do you think about the texts? <\/strong>
\nAt first we didn’t care that much about the actual content of the lyrics; the vocals were considered as an instrument, in a way. But now we try to make them more meaningful, and consider them very important.<\/p>\n

What influences do you have for your music? <\/strong>
\nThe music of Hjaltal\u00edn is quite varied, so there are lot\u2019s of influences. Generally speaking, our influences encompass everything from classical to techno. The fun thing about Hjaltal\u00edn is that everyone in the group has very different musical tastes. Axel loves Sleigh Bells, while Gu\u00f0mundur listens avidly to classical Icelandic pop song. Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur likes French chansons, while Rebecca likes having a party with some crazy mixtape. While all this happens, H\u00f6gni and Viktor are in some corner, listening to some weird, contemporary classical music. This somehow makes up to a whole, which you can hear on Terminal.<\/p>\n

How would you describe the new album \u201cTerminal\u201d if comparing it with your first album \u201cSleepdrunk Seasons\u201d?<\/strong>
\nIt is larger in scope, and more diverse, more ambitious. We are more experienced, I mean most of us hadn’t reach the age of 20 when we started working on Sleepdrunk Seasons, and that hopefully comes across in how the album sounds. The texts matter more, and the vocals of Sigr\u00ed\u00f0ur are more prominent than in the previous album.<\/p>\n

You are a nine piece band. Would you like to tell me the name of all nine and who is playing what?<\/strong>
\nWe are actually seven.
\nAxel Haraldsson \u2013 Drums<\/p>\n

Gu\u00f0mundur \u00d3skar Gu\u00f0mundssson \u2013 Bass<\/p>\n

Hj\u00f6rtur Ingvi J\u00f3hannsson \u2013 Piano\/Keyboards<\/p>\n

H\u00f6gni Egilsson \u2013 Singer\/Guitar<\/p>\n

Rebekka Brynd\u00eds Bj\u00f6rnsd\u00f3ttir \u2013 Bassoon\/Percussions<\/p>\n

Sigr\u00eddur Thorlacius \u2013 Singer<\/p>\n

Viktor Orri \u00c1rnason \u2013 Violin<\/p>\n

When did you start the band Hjaltalin? <\/strong>
\nIt started in the autumn of 2004, in our gymnasium, Menntask\u00f3linn vi\u00f0 Hamrahl\u00ed\u00f0, but the band varied a lot the first couple of years, both regarding style and members, but we can say that the band started as it looks like today in early 2006.<\/p>\n

Are you still the same members? <\/strong>
\nNo, but most of them are the same. We had a clarinet and a cello player, but we are seven today. There were also various members when the group started, and we were playing different kinds of music, but the seven members who are in the group now are all long time members.<\/p>\n

How is it so keep together such a big band, with that many members? <\/strong>
\nIt can be difficult, but it is extremely rewarding once we are on the same spot. Viktor is currently living in Berlin, but that is no big deal given that we are most of the time playing on the continent anyways. The large amount of members is just lovely. Everybody likes each other and the morale is very good.<\/p>\n

What are going on now, are you on your way touring? <\/strong>
\nActually we are currently in the Czech Republic, resting before we go to this festival in Hungary called Sziget. After that we will head back home, but we will be touring more and less all winter. We will be doing a small scandinavian tour in early september, but unfortunately we won\u2019t be playing in Sweden, only Norway and Denmark.<\/p>\n

Have you plans for coming to Sweden? <\/strong>
\nYes, definitely. We have never been to Sweden, but we definitely want to come over.<\/p>\n

Have you ever played in Sweden? <\/strong>
\nNo, we have never played, which is kind of funny because we have played very often in all other Scandinavian countries. But this must change in 2011, hopefully sooner.<\/p>\n

Do you like any Swedish musicians?<\/strong>
\nYes, of course. We don\u2019t even have to mention ABBA, which we all adore.. then you have lots of fine jazz musicians, like Jan Johansson, Monica Zetterlund and Esbj\u00f6rn Svensson (who sadly passed away recently). We also like the Cardigans, and Martin Fr\u00f6st, the brilliant clarinet player who played recently in Iceland. The Swedish indie scene is also influental in Iceland \u2013 your scene is definitely something we look up to.<\/p>\n

What do think about living in Iceland and being a band?
\nIs it an advantage with all beautiful nature and old stories \u2013 or is it an obstacle with always have to use airplane when you are on tour abroad?<\/strong>
\nThe thing about airplanes is very true in our case. It can be extremely cumbersome and inconvenient to take a plane every time you have to get somewhere, instead of taking a train or driving. So that is a disadvantage of living in Iceland. Regarding the environment, it is really a good thing to be there, because the music scene is so vibrant and open-minded. But we often get the impression that people abroad think that our music is directly influenced by the nature, elves, other famous Icelandic bands, etc.. but this is maybe a somewhat exaggerated impression that people get. Although we are certainly proud of our national heritage, we look for international influences wherever we can find them (and this is for example evident on \u201cTerminal\u201d).<\/p>\n

Do you all live in Iceland? <\/strong>
\nAll of us live in Iceland, except Viktor, who is studying composition and conducting in Berlin.<\/p>\n

Do have plans to move? <\/strong>
\nWell, some of us. Berlin seems very exciting. Actually it seems likely that, for early 2010 roughly half of the group will live there, and the rest in Iceland.<\/p>\n

What do you think about the Icelandic music stage?<\/strong>
\nI’ts very dynamic and much fun, and everybody knows everyone. The music is very diverse and there are lots of fun things going on at the moment. But, as everywhere, there are good and bad things. The best place to spot up and coming Icelandic artists is the Airwaves festival in October.<\/p>\n

H\u00e4r kan du lyssna p\u00e5 Hjaltalin p\u00e5 Myspace.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/param><\/param><\/param><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n

Recension i DN av nya albumet med Hjaltalin.<\/a><\/p>\n

L\u00e4s \u00e4ven andra bloggares \u00e5sikter om Island<\/a>, indie. popmusik<\/a>, musik<\/a>, Hjaltalin<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hjaltalin \u00e4r ett isl\u00e4ndskt band som hemma p\u00e5 Island slog igenom med dunder och brak med f\u00f6rra plattan: s\u00e5lde guld p\u00e5 hemmaplan, spelade runt om i Europa med bland andra Bloc Party, Cold War Kids coh Jens Lekman. Nya plattan TERMINAL sl\u00e4pps i sverige den 25 augusti, och har redan f\u00e5tt lysande recensioner utomlands i […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[2468,2570,12282],"class_list":["post-23167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-intervju","tag-indie-popmusik","tag-island","tag-musik","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23167","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23167"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23167\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kulturbloggen.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}