ACROSS THE BORDERS | JÚNÍUS MEYVANT

4.1.19 Icelandic blue-eyed soul, alternative. I bet you don’t hear that combo often. Curtis Mayfield is mentioned in the review below. The element of Mayfield that I am reminded on this record is the string arrangements. They’re Quite reminiscent of Curtis’s strings from the early 70s records like Back To The World. Borders is an uplifting 70s soulful album that definitely does not align to the sound of other fellow Icelandic countrymen releases.

Rory Foster Writes: Unnar Gisli, also known as Júníus Meyvant, hails from Vestmannaeyjar - a small archipelago also known as the Westman isles - on the southernmost edge of Iceland. It is a place that, during the summer months, migrating puffins outnumber people 1600 to 1. And yet - Meyvant’s music is not that of an outcast with nothing but a guitar and tonnes of birds - at least not anymore. His second album could have just as likely been made in LA as the extremities of Iceland. It is full of luscious pop, romantic melodies and superb arrangements. What happened to the savage mysticism of the bitter north?. . . .