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 four solo albums. 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.
Recent Film and TV credits include the original score for the BBC wildlife series 'Wild Scandinavia', directed by multi award-winning Tuppence Stone (Human Planet, Wild Alaska), the feature documentary ‘Wilding’ co-composed with Jon Hopkins, produced and directed by multi-Emmy award winning David Allen of Passion Pictures, the Grierson Trust award-winning factual feature documentary 'A Year in the Ice: Arctic Drift’. The Nordic TV drama series 'Thin Ice' (Yellowbird & Sagafilm), for which Biggi was nominated for the best score and album at The Icelandic Music Awards in 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.
Biggi's 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. He recently scored the music for a conservation project by Mars - Sheba 'The Film That Grows Coral’, a film that aims to to help restore coral reefs around the world. It won a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in 2022. Biggi’s music has also been featured in commercials for brands such as Apple, Mercedes Benz, Skoda, Hyundai and Thomson Holidays (TUI), to name but few.
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 popuplar music, 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.
Recent Film and TV credits include the original score for the BBC wildlife series 'Wild Scandinavia', directed by multi award-winning Tuppence Stone (Human Planet, Wild Alaska), the feature documentary ‘Wilding’ co-composed with Jon Hopkins, produced and directed by multi-Emmy award winning David Allen of Passion Pictures, the Grierson Trust award-winning factual feature documentary 'A Year in the Ice: Arctic Drift’. The Nordic TV drama series 'Thin Ice' (Yellowbird & Sagafilm), for which Biggi was nominated for the best score and album at The Icelandic Music Awards in 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.
Biggi's 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. He recently scored the music for a conservation project by Mars - Sheba 'The Film That Grows Coral’, a film that aims to to help restore coral reefs around the world. It won a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions in 2022. Biggi’s music has also been featured in commercials for brands such as Apple, Mercedes Benz, Skoda, Hyundai and Thomson Holidays (TUI), to name but few.
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 popuplar music, 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.
RECENT WORK FOR FILM & TELEVISION
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WILD SCANDINAVIA
2023
Wildlife series (3 episodes) Producer: BBC Natural History Unit Directed by: Tuppence Stone Ingrid Kvale, Poppy Riddle Original score composed by Biggi Hilmars Narrated by Rebecca Ferguson |
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A YEAR IN THE ICE: THE ARCTIC DRIFT
2021
Full ft. adventure documentary Producer: Fremantle & Wild Blue Media Directed by Ashley Morris Music supervision: Rachel Menzies for BMG Composer: Biggi Hilmars Awards: Winner - Best Science documentary, Grierson Awards 2022 |
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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:
• Wilding (Passion Pictures, ft. documentary, co-composer w. Jon Hopkins, 2023)
• Wild Scandinavia (BBC Natural History Unit, TV doc series, composer, 2023)
• Proximity (Vinnslan in collab. w. Shakespeare Theatre, Gdansk, composer, 2023)
• Sprungur (aka Fractures) (Dynja films, short film, composer, 2021)
• 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)
• Wilding (Passion Pictures, ft. documentary, co-composer w. Jon Hopkins, 2023)
• Wild Scandinavia (BBC Natural History Unit, TV doc series, composer, 2023)
• Proximity (Vinnslan in collab. w. Shakespeare Theatre, Gdansk, composer, 2023)
• Sprungur (aka Fractures) (Dynja films, short film, composer, 2021)
• 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)