Samuel Jon Samuelsson Big Band
4 Hlidar

Not often we can say ‘here’s a great Jazzy, afrobeat tinged big band album from Iceland’ but that’s exactly what the super talented Samuel Jon Samuelsson big band have delivered in the form of 4 Hlider. Seemingly veterans of the Icelandic scene, this is the first time we’ve experienced this juggernaut of a collective. From the uptempo opener ‘Ethiopia’ through the Budos Band style ‘1st Man From Iceland’ across the cosmic planes of ‘Atlantis International’ and beyond to the stomping ‘Felafal’ and the wonderful, breezy ‘Dubnotic’ this album grows and grows. The ender, ‘Peace’ is just a wonderful, evocative, mellow slab of jazz. Excellent album.