The instrumental peaceful album of the year.
I would love to say there is something groundbreaking here. There isn’t. But consistency, song structure and song order on an album let a record breathe to excellence. That is what we have here. A pretty masterpiece. A meditative healer. So subtle and yet so profound. You hear the notes begin and you think there is no way I can discern what artist this is, but put it up against ten other similar electronic wannabees and you will see Hugar’s superiority shine.
It is hard to not to make an eventually stale or boring piece of music with this quiet of an approach. Hugar has overcome the difficulty and I hand you what has contended for my favorite album of 2022.
The review linked here calls it an “an hour long audio hug” and that is apropos.
Hugar – Rift Review – Higher Plain Music
Sounds like… Warm honey from the ambient classical genre. The review Icelandic duo Hugar have been working together on music since they were kids and it really shows. “Rift” is their latest album in which they explore electronic soundscapes in weird and unusual ways.
HUGAR
Icelandic natives HUGAR – comprised of multitalented instrumentalists and musicians Bergur Þórisson and Pétur Jónsson – have forged a musical lane all their own with a genre-defying sound. Combining a shared passion for music and an impressive resume working alongside fellow Icelandic luminaries Björk, Sigur Rós, Ólafur Arnalds and Johann Johannson, the longtime friends and natives of Seltjarnarnes began writing music together in 2013.