Daniel Hjálmtýsson has released his long-awaited & charming debut EP,
Review by Austin Sher
Slowly released since the beginning of 2020, Daniel Hjálmtýsson’s debut EP has finally arrived. It was well worth the wait. Please read along with us as we share our thoughts on the record, in addition to a background on the artist.
Recorded, mixed and mastered in Reykjavik in the summer of 2020 by Icelandic producer and artist Jóhannes Birgir Pálmason and mastered and finalized by American/Chilean artist and producer Alain Johannes (Queens of The Stone Age, Chris Cornell, Mark Lanegan, PJ Harvey, Arctic Monkeys and more) in Los Angeles, this record is exactly the type of sound we were looking for.
Currently based in Iceland, Daniel has been making a name for himself since the beginning of this year. One of his most notable features thus far was being hand-picked as Song of The Day by Seattle indie radio, KEXP. Considering KEXP is one of the premiere radio stations in all of America, it got us even more excited for the actual listen.
Our first impressions, just based off the EP opener “Volatile” were just how wonderfully vibrant and well executed the production was. Mirroring sounds of mid-2000’s Radiohead, the overall vibe and atmosphere created were truly remarkable. Immediately, Daniel sucks you into his own world that he has mastered on just four lovely songs. Coming in at a runtime of 18 minutes in length, this was the perfect type of escape into an instrumentally diverse world that we could have asked for.
Wanting to get out to the world and tour is one of Daniel’s biggest hopes for 2021, but that’s also in addition to the followup to this record that’s already finished. Considering that this was our first dive into the music of Daniel Hjálmtýsson, we’re already counting the days down until more music comes! From now until then, we’ll certainly be streaming this EP non-stop, as we feel there is so much to discover within the sound.
In all honesty, this record took us by surprise. Of the artists we’ve covered so far that are based in Iceland, we’ve been so incredibly impressed with the output of music that’s coming from the country. Daniel’s release would without a doubt have to be the best piece of music that has crossed our paths since we’ve started, but don’t mention that to the other bands. What we’re really trying to say is that we are highly recommending and encouraging the reader to please give this a listen. Seriously, it’s well worth your time and we truly think that the artist has creating something special and masterful here.
For all things Daníel Hjálmtýsson, to listen, and to keep up with all future releases and information, please check out the following links below.
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