Sigur Ros (band) biography
Date of birth : -
Date of death : -
Birthplace : Reykjavík, Iceland
Nationality : Icelandic
Category : Arts and Entertainment
Last modified : 2012-06-15
Credited as : post-rock band, Jónsi , Valtari 2012
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Sigur Rós are an icelandic post-rock band. The name is derived from the name of lead vocalist Jónsi Birgisson’s little sister, Sigurrós. They hail from the same creative and vibrant Icelandic music scene as múm and Amiina. They released their first ever foray into film-making with their tour documentary, Heima in late 2007.
Jón Þór Birgisson (Jónsi), Georg Hólm, and Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson formed the group in Reykjavík, Iceland in August 1994. They soon won a record deal with a local record label, Smekkleysa (Bad Taste). In 1997, they released Von (Hope) and in 1998, released a remix collection named Von Brigði. The name is Icelandic wordplay: Vonbrigði means “disappointment,” but Von brigði means “hope alteration.” (In English, the album is sometimes known by the alternative name “Recycle Bin.”)
International acclaim came with 1999’s Ágætis byrjun (“An alright start”), for which the band were joined by Kjartan Sveinsson. The album’s reputation slowly spread by word of mouth over the next two years. Soon, many critics worldwide hailed it as one of the best albums of its time and the band was playing with Radiohead and other big names. Drummer Ágúst left the band after the recording of Ágætis Byrjun and was replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason.
After the release of Ágætis Byrjun, the band became perhaps most well known for Birgisson’s signature style of playing guitar with the bow from a cello, accentuated with reverb, creating a sweeping, fluid sound that is unique for an electric guitar.
You can forgive Sigur Rós for being hazy on the details of the recording of their sixth album Valtari. It’s either the album they always wanted to make, or the album they almost didn’t make, depending on how you look at it.
In 2011, the band started the painstaking forensic task of piecing together a cohesive and magical work from disparate constituent parts. If this sounds unromantic, the results are anything but. Something alchemical occurs when the four members of Sigur Rós are in the room together, and even if Valtari is more a “studio based” album than any of its predecessors (which usually start life as rehearsal room jams), the long hours of experimentation and unsentimental editing have yielded incredibly persuasive results.
After that, penultimate track, Valtari is like the far heart of the album; eight minutes that feel like being alone in row boat on a chill day, small irregular waves lapping the wooden hull as a dense fog bank rolls in and ice slowly encases every surface. Below the fathomless green, deep endures.
Valtari will be released on double vinyl, CD and download on May 29th on XL Recordings in North America. In 2012, they are touring in the US .
"Varúð" music video:
