Hugar is an Icelandic neo-classical and post-rock duo formed in 2012 in Seltjarnarnes. Composed of multi-instrumentalist composers Bergur Þórisson and Pétur Jónsson, the group debuted with the eponymous album Hugar in 2014. This release, which featured drummer Ólafur Arnalds, was distributed for free online. In 2016, the duo collaborated with Arnór Dan Arnarson on the single “Waves”. Following a series of performances at the Iceland Airwaves festival between 2017 and 2019, the band signed with Sony Masterworks. They released their second studio album, Varða, in 2019, the same year they composed the score for the documentary film The Vasulka Effect. By this time, the band had achieved significant digital success, accumulating over 50 million streams. Þórisson and Jónsson continued their output with the release of the album Rift in 2022. The duo is recognized for a sound that incorporates contemporary classical, ambient, and electronic textures into a cohesive instrumental aesthetic.
