Hlynur Sölvi has become one of my go-to reworkers. His sound is unique, and his sense for details in his productions is uncanny.
I had the pleasure of catching up with Hlynur to delve into his origins, his enduring love for disco, and his experiences of DJing in Iceland. As we conversed, it became evident that his passion for music runs deep, rooted in a lifelong journey of exploration and innovation within the realm of sound.
DA: Hi Hlynur! Tell us a bit about Hlynur Hölvi, what’s the story behind all those phenomenal reworks of timeless classics?
HS: I’ve been doing remixes for a long time for various artists and radio stations. The remixes I’m doing now is a natural continuation of what I’ve been doing over the years.
DA: Iceland is a magical country with many magical artists like Bjørkand Sigur Rós, Mugison and Amiina to just mention a few. You come swooping in from an entirely different corner and direction. How do you connect with the national scene as a musician?
HS: There is not a big disco dance scene in Iceland that’s why I look for inspiration all over the world.
DA: When did you begin doing remix work of your tracks?
HS: I´ve been remixing since 1980 since I bought my first revox device so basically, I have done hundreds of remixes either for myself or other artists.
My girlfriend said to me one night why don’t you put one of your remixes on bandcamp and the rest is history. It’s been very successful and I’m so grateful to my fans.
DA: Where do you come from as a musician?
HS: I started playing drums at the age of 11 in the basement of my grandmother’s house and immediately fell in love with all kinds of music. Throughout my teenage years I was in many bands. But one night I saw a DJ playing records and thought to myself: This is something I want to do, and I have been DJing ever since in all the most popular and biggest entertainment venues in Iceland. Later, I went to California to study music and studied general recording and piano.
DA: What do you think is the perpetual attraction to music from 30-50 years ago? Why do people keep coming back to that particular sound and feel?
HS: The groove base and sound from that time is what I think people will always connect to and love.
– The highlight was when my wife came and asked me for song and the rest is history.
Hlynur Sölvi
DA: You’ve built an impressive catalogue of reworks already on your Bandcamp. What is your own favorite and why?
HS: One of my favorite tracs are “Rock with you” by Michael Jackson and West End Girls with Pet Shop Boys. But to tell you the truth all of my remixes are my fav because I spend a lot of time on each remix and they become a part of me.
DA: You span multiple genres and don’t seem to mind neither curveballs or slow and soulful tracks. Where do you draw the line? Is there anything you won’t re-touch?
HS: I never remix a song that I feel that needs to be adapted or changed for the dance floor. in my own way I always remix the songs for myself and produce them the way I want them when I’m DJing.
DA: Speaking of DJing: What’s your experience, and what’ve been highlights so far doing that?
HS: Being a DJ and playing music for people who love to dance is a godsend. The people have changed over the years, but it’s always the same joy when you play the right song.
The highlight was when my wife came and asked me for song and the rest is history.
DA: Aw, that’s cute!
Tell us a bit about your studio setup? Looks like it’s taken YEARS to build up.
HS: Yes, that’s right, I’ve been collecting instruments for a long time and I do a lot of my stuff in the analog world. I love the sound of real instruments even though I use the computer a lot.
DA: What’s coming up from Hlynur Sölvi?
HS: More music ,more remix, more love.
DA: Last but not least: How does one pronounce your name properly without insulting a native Icelandic?
HS: “Lennard”
Hahaha! Thanks for the chat, Hlynur.
You can catch a few of Hlynur’s master pieces below:
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