JÓHANN INGI BENEDIKTSSON
guitar & vocals
Jóhann graduated with a master's degree in guitar playing from Sigursveinn D. Kristinsson's music school in the spring of 2006 and subsequently studied creative music communication at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and graduated from there in 2015. He is studying masters in singing and instrument teaching at the Iceland Academy of the Arts and works as a music teacher at Sigursvein D. Kristinsson. He was a member of the band Kamp Knox who released the album A Tad ´65 in 2005.
HARPA ÞORVALDSDÓTTIR
singing & piano
Harpa graduated with a master's degree in opera singing from the Mozarteum University of Music in Salzburg, Austria in the spring of 2011 and works as a music teacher at Laugarnesskóli in Reykjavík. She was a member of the band Groundfloor and the jazz quartet SoundPost. She released her solo album Embrace in 2015.
GUÐMUNDUR ATLI PÉTURSSON
mandolin
Guðmundur has worked with the bluegrass band Illgresi, as well as participating in various projects such as playing musical instruments on recordings and concerts with Baggalút, Brother Grass, Krumma and others.
SIGMAR ÞÓR MATTHÍASSON
double bass
Sigmar has been active in the Icelandic music scene for years. He graduated from the FÍH School of Music's jazz department in 2012 and in the fall of 2013 he began his postgraduate studies at the music department of the prestigious American university The New School in New York City in the USA. From there he graduated with honors in the spring of 2016 with a BFA degree in jazz and modern music. Sigmar has composed and exhibited works for Stórsveit Reykjavíkur and has played with many of the country's leading jazz and pop artists. In September 2018, Sigmar released her first solo album, called Áróra, which received two nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards in the category of jazz and blues music in 2019.
Brek mainly plays original compositions, music with influences from various sources.
They weave together various influences from different styles of folk and popular music.
The band also tries to create an interesting but pleasant atmosphere in their instrumental playing, but also challenging in parts. In addition there is a focus on the multifaceted use of the Icelandic language in the band’s lyrics. Musical influences come from various sources, but Brek wants to try to weave them together into their soundscape and trying to break down barriers between genres as well as connecting Icelandic folk heritage with other types of folk music.
The band was nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards in the folk music category two years in a row and receivedThe Icelandic Music Award for Album of the Year in folk and world music in 2022 for their debut album.