I first came across young Icelandic songstress Dísa aka Bryndís Jakobsdóttir back in September and was immediately drawn in by her expressive vocal and great songs. Since then I’ve seen and been impressed by her live a couple of times, first at the Iceland Airwaves October last year and then in Copenhagen a few months back where she delivered a very intense solo performance, and now I again bow to her and her eponymous debut album.

With the bulk of the songs CO-written and produced by Sam Frank (Sia, John Legend, Jamie Cullum etc) and featuring contributions from among others Barði Jóhannsson (Bang Gang) and Shelly Poole (Janet Jackson, Massive Attack, Sophie Ellis Bextor etc) ‘Dísa’ is a luminous pop collection dressed in the same eclectic mix of genres and styles from jazz to electronica you find with her Danish sisters in arms Randi Laubek and Aura.

‘Dísa’ was released to massive critical praise in Iceland last summer and if there’s any universal justice Bryndís Jakobsdóttir will be equally saluted around the world, if not for the full album then at the very least the standout electro-jazzy ‘Alien Symphony’, flute ‘n rock gem ‘Anniversary’, opening hit single ‘Temptation’ and the delicately soaring ballad in her native tongue, ‘Ljáðu Mér Eyra’.

Genre: Pop
Who: Dísa
Album: Dísa
Label: Cod Music
Year: 2008
Country: Iceland
Language: English/Icelandic

Recommended tracks:
Temptation – Back Home – Alien Symphony – Anniversary – Ljáðu Mér Eyra