I raced just as fast as I could to the replay button on this one. The new single from HJALTALÍN, Reykjavik Iceland’s 10 piece, makes a tale dance in “Suitcase Man”; a song about a photographer that steals people’s faces with each shot (s)he takes. But as the song will portend, this photographer has inner demons…Kettle drums and horn-made mountain ranges will throw you for a loop at first, but stick with it, and you’ll be dancing the Samba to a song of stolen souls. Do the Cha-Cha with closed-eyes and dance right out the door. It is a murder drama/it is damn beautiful pop.
“Suitcase Man” is taken from the (hold your breath) concept album called Terminal, which on the whole, sounds more like orchestral Broadway productions than “indie-pop-classic-jazz” styles that are represented in some of the collection’s highlights. It was a new experience for me, and that’s really what the best music is all about.
Hjaltalín – Terminal sampler by The Wounded Jukebox
[Hjaltalín Website]
[Hjaltalín Myspace]
[Buy Terminal]
-Matt
