Iceland's Biggi Hilmars' distinctive, provocative sound, described as having ‘unique beauty’, has fast cemented his status as a unique and prolific film composer. Having made a name for himself for his work on film scores, television, movie trailers and commercials, he has also released three solo albums and is currently working on his fourth.
With his roots firmly planted in neoclassical, his cinematic soundscapes encapsulate the picturesque beauty of Iceland. His beautifully crafted, melodic music consistently inspires and always feels both contemporary and timeless, taking the listener on a journey. Biggi is influenced by an eclectic range of composers and musicians, spanning Ennio Morricone, Philip Glass, Max Richter, Björk, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and The Beatles.
As a composer, just some of Biggi's credits include the original score for Fremantle / Blue Media’s high-end factual ft. documentary ‘Arctic Drift’, which just came out internationally. Nordic TV drama series 'Thin Ice' (Yellowbird & Sagafilm), for which he was nominated for the best score and album at The Icelandic Music Awards 2021. The Grierson Trust award-winning feature documentary 'The Last Igloo', produced by Swan Films for BBC4, the National Geographic adventure series ‘Fiennes: Return to the Nile’ starring Joseph and Ranulph Fiennes, ‘Beeba Boys’, a feature film directed by Academy Award nominee Deepa Mehta and the multi award-winning Channel 4 VR documentary 'Grenfell Our Home', directed by Jonathan Rudd.
As a child Biggi was drawn into the magic of music via old records that he would listen to as a child with his father who also played musical instruments. By the age of 15 he had clearly inherited his father skills and was playing in a psychedelic rock band and had begun writing his own material. He formed the group Ampop in 1998 with a friend, who created an interesting mixture of electronic, ambient and pop, releasing their debut album ‘Made for Market’ in 2002 with Thule Music (IS) and Static Caravan (UK), followed by their hit album ‘My Delusions’ (2006), released by Sena records (IS) and Relentless Records (UK). They became extremely popular in Iceland and won numerous awards for their albums and songwriting and went on to tour the world, supporting bands such as The Zutons, KT Tunstall and Queens of the Stone Age and gained support from radio legends Zane Lowe and the late John Peel.
Biggi moved to London in 2007 and began working with several classical musicians, including Italian cellist Maddalena Branduardi. This collaboration led him naturally into composing and arranging neoclassical music. His debut solo album ‘Cinematic Songs’ was well received by the film, TV and advertising industries. Since that time his music has been used on numerous film trailers, including HBO’S ‘Olive Kitteridge’, Winner of 7 Emmy Awards, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ directed by Thomas Vinterberg and his music has been featured in commercials for brands such as Apple, Mercedes Benz, Skoda, Hyundai, Thomson Holidays (TUI) and his latest score for Sheba / Mars inc. - 'The Film That Grows Coral', which aims to to help restore coral reefs around the globe.
With his roots firmly planted in neoclassical, his cinematic soundscapes encapsulate the picturesque beauty of Iceland. His beautifully crafted, melodic music consistently inspires and always feels both contemporary and timeless, taking the listener on a journey. Biggi is influenced by an eclectic range of composers and musicians, spanning Ennio Morricone, Philip Glass, Max Richter, Björk, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and The Beatles.
As a composer, just some of Biggi's credits include the original score for Fremantle / Blue Media’s high-end factual ft. documentary ‘Arctic Drift’, which just came out internationally. Nordic TV drama series 'Thin Ice' (Yellowbird & Sagafilm), for which he was nominated for the best score and album at The Icelandic Music Awards 2021. The Grierson Trust award-winning feature documentary 'The Last Igloo', produced by Swan Films for BBC4, the National Geographic adventure series ‘Fiennes: Return to the Nile’ starring Joseph and Ranulph Fiennes, ‘Beeba Boys’, a feature film directed by Academy Award nominee Deepa Mehta and the multi award-winning Channel 4 VR documentary 'Grenfell Our Home', directed by Jonathan Rudd.
As a child Biggi was drawn into the magic of music via old records that he would listen to as a child with his father who also played musical instruments. By the age of 15 he had clearly inherited his father skills and was playing in a psychedelic rock band and had begun writing his own material. He formed the group Ampop in 1998 with a friend, who created an interesting mixture of electronic, ambient and pop, releasing their debut album ‘Made for Market’ in 2002 with Thule Music (IS) and Static Caravan (UK), followed by their hit album ‘My Delusions’ (2006), released by Sena records (IS) and Relentless Records (UK). They became extremely popular in Iceland and won numerous awards for their albums and songwriting and went on to tour the world, supporting bands such as The Zutons, KT Tunstall and Queens of the Stone Age and gained support from radio legends Zane Lowe and the late John Peel.
Biggi moved to London in 2007 and began working with several classical musicians, including Italian cellist Maddalena Branduardi. This collaboration led him naturally into composing and arranging neoclassical music. His debut solo album ‘Cinematic Songs’ was well received by the film, TV and advertising industries. Since that time his music has been used on numerous film trailers, including HBO’S ‘Olive Kitteridge’, Winner of 7 Emmy Awards, ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ directed by Thomas Vinterberg and his music has been featured in commercials for brands such as Apple, Mercedes Benz, Skoda, Hyundai, Thomson Holidays (TUI) and his latest score for Sheba / Mars inc. - 'The Film That Grows Coral', which aims to to help restore coral reefs around the globe.
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"I had the privilege of working with Biggi on Grenfell: Our Home - a prestigious VR piece for UK broadcaster Channel 4. The music he composed was sensitive, beautiful and complimented the story note perfect. The film has so far won 4 and been nominated for 6 awards and I’m sure Biggi’s soundtrack is a key ingredient that has lead to its success. I can’t wait to work with him again."
~ Jonathan Rudd - Creative Director, Parable Works
~ Jonathan Rudd - Creative Director, Parable Works
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"Icelandic composers & musicians have mastered the fusion of classical & popular music & Biggi Hilmars is no exception. His music retains the unique beauty & cinematic soundscape that encompasses my love for the sound of Iceland."
~ Sarah Bridge, Music Supervisor (The Crown, Bridgerton, The Theory of Everything)
~ Sarah Bridge, Music Supervisor (The Crown, Bridgerton, The Theory of Everything)
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"Biggi’s sound is otherworldly and feels like it opens up a door to another world, which he invites you to enter."
~Vala Omarsdottir, director & performance maker
~Vala Omarsdottir, director & performance maker
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"I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Biggi for years. His music consistently inspires, and always feels both contemporary and timeless at the same time. It is beautifully crafted music that transports you to another time and place."
~ Rudy Chung, Music supervisor, Netflix
~ Rudy Chung, Music supervisor, Netflix
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"The music Biggi Hilmars is making on Ephemeral Dream is so powerful,
emotional and sensitive. It inspires and gives me peace at the same time."
~ Cecilie Mosli, director and actress
emotional and sensitive. It inspires and gives me peace at the same time."
~ Cecilie Mosli, director and actress
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"Biggi is always a joy to work with. He goes to great lengths to understand briefs, and really puts his heart into the compositions he delivers.
His range is wide, but my favourite work by Biggi has a very melodic and magical quality. It was great to work with him on Thomsons and record his score together at Abbey Road, where the music really came to life."
~ Dan Neale, Managing director, Native Music
His range is wide, but my favourite work by Biggi has a very melodic and magical quality. It was great to work with him on Thomsons and record his score together at Abbey Road, where the music really came to life."
~ Dan Neale, Managing director, Native Music
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“It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with Biggi on this project. I’d been aware of his fantastic work for a while and was waiting for the right project to come along. The score for this film was a hugely important part of the project for AMV BBDO and SHEBA and I had every confidence that Biggi was the right composer for this job. He was incredibly communicative and receptive to feedback from beginning to end which made shaping and crafting the composition to picture a very smooth and enjoyable process. The resulting soundtrack is absolutely beautiful and has the perfect balance of the dark opening through to the uplifting ending. I’m delighted to have been able to work with Biggi on this film and look forward to working with him again in the future.”
~ James Radford, music supervisor
~ James Radford, music supervisor
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FILM & TV WORK
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A Year in the Ice: Arctic Drift2021
Full ft. adventure documentaryDirector / producer: Ashley Morris
Producer: Fremantle & Wild Blue Media
Music supervision: Rachel Menzies at BMG Composer: Biggi Hilmars |
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Thin Ice2020
Nordic TV drama (8 episodes)Directors: Cecilie Mosli
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The Last Igloo2019
Feature documentaryDirector: Christian CollertonProducer: Swan Films for BBC FOUR
Music: Biggi Hilmars
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Fiennes: Return to the Nile
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Grenfell: Our Home2018
Virtual Reality DocumentaryDirector: Jonathan RuddProducer: Parable and 59 Productions for Channel 4
Music: Biggi Hilmars
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Brash Young Turks2016
Feature film (chrime thriller)Director: Naeem Mahmood,
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Beeba Boys2015
Feature film (crime drama)Director: Deepa MehtaProducer: Hamilton-Mehta Productions
Music: Biggi Hilmars
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ADDITIONAL FILM, TV & THEATRE SCORES:
• Tæring (Menningarfelag Akureyrar, site specific theatre piece, composer, 2020)
• Daetur (Gervi productions, short film, composer, 2018)
• Far From The Madding Crowd (Fox Searchlight Pictures, official movie trailer 2016)
• Mamma aetlar ad sofna (Gervi productions, short film, composer, 2016)
• I Smile Back (Broadgreen Pictures, official movie trailer, 2014)
• Reindeer Family and Me (BBC2, feature documentary, composer, 2014)
• Impact (Elf Films, feature documentary, composer, 2014)
• Rof (Vinnslan, short film, composer, 2014)
• My Brother the Ark Raider (BBC2, feature documentary, composer, 2013)
• Harry’s Mountain Heroes (ITV1, dir. Alexis Girardet, official trailer, 2012)
• Life in A Day (A Scott Free Production, Ridley Scott, movie trailer, 2011)
• Konfekt (Icelandic Film Centre, Sagafilm, short film, composer, 2011)
• Subculture (Berserk Films, short film, composer, 2011)
• Future of Hope (Spier Films, feature documentary, composer, 2010)
• Kristofer (Ljosband Films, short film, composer, 2010)
• Dream in Places (Open Your Eyes & Listen, short film, composer, 2010)
• Heaven on Earth (Deepa Mehta/Hamilton Prod., feat. film, ft. music, 2009)
• Sun of Wisdom (Open Your Eyes & Listen, short film, composer, 2009)
• The World Record Holder in the Lighthouse (JKH, feat. doc., composer, 2009)
• Every Colour of the Sea is Cold (AX films, mini TV drama series, composer, 2005)
...MORE THEATRE & DANCE SCORES:
• Strengir (Vinnslan, mixed media performance piece, composer/music dir., 2014)
• Episodes (aka Timar) (Icelandic Dance Company, Helena Jonsdottir, dance piece 2013)
• Tamam Shud (One Theatre group, Iceland, composer, 2013)
• Skápur nr. 7 (Vinnslan Theatre Group, composer, 2012)
• As Soon As They Know Me (Maddid, London, composer, 2011)
• Ghost Song Cabaret (Admiration Theatre, London, composer, 2009)
• Tæring (Menningarfelag Akureyrar, site specific theatre piece, composer, 2020)
• Daetur (Gervi productions, short film, composer, 2018)
• Far From The Madding Crowd (Fox Searchlight Pictures, official movie trailer 2016)
• Mamma aetlar ad sofna (Gervi productions, short film, composer, 2016)
• I Smile Back (Broadgreen Pictures, official movie trailer, 2014)
• Reindeer Family and Me (BBC2, feature documentary, composer, 2014)
• Impact (Elf Films, feature documentary, composer, 2014)
• Rof (Vinnslan, short film, composer, 2014)
• My Brother the Ark Raider (BBC2, feature documentary, composer, 2013)
• Harry’s Mountain Heroes (ITV1, dir. Alexis Girardet, official trailer, 2012)
• Life in A Day (A Scott Free Production, Ridley Scott, movie trailer, 2011)
• Konfekt (Icelandic Film Centre, Sagafilm, short film, composer, 2011)
• Subculture (Berserk Films, short film, composer, 2011)
• Future of Hope (Spier Films, feature documentary, composer, 2010)
• Kristofer (Ljosband Films, short film, composer, 2010)
• Dream in Places (Open Your Eyes & Listen, short film, composer, 2010)
• Heaven on Earth (Deepa Mehta/Hamilton Prod., feat. film, ft. music, 2009)
• Sun of Wisdom (Open Your Eyes & Listen, short film, composer, 2009)
• The World Record Holder in the Lighthouse (JKH, feat. doc., composer, 2009)
• Every Colour of the Sea is Cold (AX films, mini TV drama series, composer, 2005)
...MORE THEATRE & DANCE SCORES:
• Strengir (Vinnslan, mixed media performance piece, composer/music dir., 2014)
• Episodes (aka Timar) (Icelandic Dance Company, Helena Jonsdottir, dance piece 2013)
• Tamam Shud (One Theatre group, Iceland, composer, 2013)
• Skápur nr. 7 (Vinnslan Theatre Group, composer, 2012)
• As Soon As They Know Me (Maddid, London, composer, 2011)
• Ghost Song Cabaret (Admiration Theatre, London, composer, 2009)