Well, they’re certainly not in the Sigur Ros/Bjork league of Icelandic awesomeness, but Hjartalin are still a worthy addition to the ever-growing pantheon of fine Scandinavian bands. The three bands preceding them weren’t much cop- the less said about Kat and the Half Step Uncles’sub-Butlins funk the better- but the seven-piece more than made up for it with their charming, orchestral-tinged pop. The smooth vocals reminded me a tad too much of Maroon 5 and the meandering verses sometimes came across as a less imaginative Efterklang, but catchily exuberant choruses were always on hand to save the day; their big hit 'Thu komst vid hjartad í mér’ garnering a particularly rapturous reception from the many Icelandic ex-pats in attendance . A welcome appearance from the bassoon too; another instrument woefully underrepresented in the annals of popular live music.
(Photo: Anika)
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