Biography
Sprengjuhollin is an Icelandic pop group from the nation's capital Reykjavik. The band, now with two albums under its belt, was founded in 2005 but broke out in 2007 with the release of three consecutive singles that all went to the top of Iceland's harmonized radio play chart based on airplay from all music radio stations in the country and held the top place for a total of 27 weeks in 2007.
The success was immediately followed by the LP 'Timarnir okkar' that sold 7.300 copies in three months making it one of the most sold records of the year in a country of 300.000 inhabitants. It was produced by Valgeir Sigurdsson (Bjork, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, mum, CocoRosie). The record also garnered much praise from critics upon release and featured prominently at all local publications' end-of-year lists. At the 2007 Icelandic music awards Sprengjuhollin received five nominations; for best album, best song, best songwriter, best lyricist and best use of internet tools.
In 2008 the bunch revisited Sigurdsson's studio and recorded and released the ambitous 'Bestu kveðjur' which has already gained widespread attention and nearly went gold in its first six weeks of release.
Sprengjuhollin's success in its native Iceland can be viewed objectively by the broadness of its fanbase that covers art school hipsters, mechanics, housewives, convicts and politicians. The band's songs are played on all radio stations ranging from alternative counter-culture stations to stream-lined easy listening-radio venues. Sprengjuhollin's sound shall therefore be described as popular music in its widest sense: music seeking influence from rock and pop pillars such as The Velvet Underground, Supergrass, Blur, Bob Dylan, The Kinks, The Zombies, The Stone Roses and Belle & Sebastian; soul artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, as well as more recent sounds such as The Strokes. Every note is delivered with the honesty needed to capture the attention of almost everybody.
Instrumentation
Atli Bollason: Keyboards and backing vocals
Bergur Ebbi Benediktsson: Acoustic guitar and lead vocals.
Georg Kari Hilmarsson: Bass and backing vocals.
Sigurdur Tomas Gudmundsson: Drums and backing vocals.
Snorri Helgason: Electric guitar and lead vocals.
Discography
ALBUMS
Timarnir okkar CD/2LP/mp3. Released by Sena on 10 October 2007. 12 tracks.
Bestu kvedjur CD/mp3. Released by Sena on 7. November 2008. 15 tracks.
SINGLES
"Timarnir okkar" CDS/mp3. Self-released in November 2006.
"Verum i sambandi" CDS/mp3. Self-released in April 2007. 11 weeks at #1 in the Icelandic single chart.
"Hiti" CDS/mp3. Self-released in April 2007.
"Glumur" CDS/mp3. Released by Sena in August 2007. 7 weeks at #1 in the Icelandic single chart.
"Keyrum yfir Island" CDS/mp3. Released by Sena in November 2007. 9 weeks at #1 in Icelandic single chart.
"Flo a skinni" CDS/mp3. Released by L.A. in January 2008.
"Sumar i Mula" CDS/mp3. Released by Sena in July 2008.
"Byrjum upp a nytt (Bestu kvedjur)" CDS/mp3. Released by Sena in October 2008.
Multiple tracks available for streaming at myspace.com/sprengjuhollin