Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (1999)

With a ragged beauty and grandiose formula suitably befitting a band from Iceland, Sigur Ros are a breath of fresh air in a sometimes stale indie market. While many of their contemporaries' follow well worn formulas, Sigur Ros have a sound that is uniquely theirs. One word of warning though, don't buy this album if you couldn't care less about missing out on something special. Every song on Agaetis Byrjun is an opera in itself. A ethereal voice that could cut through a glacier soars and swoops over arrangements that are so endearing you sometimes think that they could be wasted on an audience not willing to succumb to its charms. The lyrics are a melange ofIcelandic, Hopelandic (Sigur Ros language) and some English but as such it doesn't matter. Remember how you watched 'Life is Beautiful' and forgot there were subtitles, well it is the same here.

While every track is a winner there are a few inter stellar moments that actually produce goosebumps. Sven-G-Englar an early single has been re-released to coincide with their latest tour and proves a good introduction to the scope of Sigur Ros' output. Witness the vocal as the best instrument you've ever heard, so primitive but so hauntingly beautiful beside that submarine echo. Seeing Sigur Ros live is an experience you will treasure for life, it may even move you to tears on occasions. They play against a backdrop of a clear starry night, you'll stand hushed, incredulous that you are witnessing pure pop music. When an album like this is played with the same passion and power, there is no live experience that can come close. 'Starafur' will melt your heart. It will swathe you in a ready brek type glow as the soft vocals, electro twinkling and sweet strings create a concoction that is mesmeric. Try playing it to a fierce creature and watch the beast sit back and reflect on how great life is. I defy anybody not to be moved by it. 'Flugufrelsarinn' sails by for almost 8 minutes with giant slabs of soaring guitars intermittently interrupting the vocal gymnastics and organ drenched backdrop.

The longest track on the album, 'Vidrar Vel Til Loftarasa', starts out like a snowflake. Over the course of its 10 minutes it transforms into something altogether more powerful. Blending the finer strings with music box tittering and a pretend country strum, this song ushers in a frosty vocal. As the friction builds up the tempo warms until the movement is unstoppable. As you get caught up in it you can't breathe, but remember what they told you in ski school. Don't panic at all costs because help is on the way. Several minutes later as the sun filters through, you smile and the world becomes your oyster once more. A close thing but what a wonderful thing this avalanche of sound is. 'Olsen Olsen' has a seasonal ring and hearing it does create goodwill feelings that few things can produce. Made up of a hybrid of heavy bass riffs, Jonsi’s almost female sounding vocals, a wandering flute quiver and a sweet barrage of backing vocals, this is exceedingly good stuff. The title track appears soon afterwards and just ups the ante on an album on its way to the stars. It is fragile, vulnerable and so close to perfection it hurts.

Sigur Ros are a band to treasure. If they are nurtured well they could hold onto the incredible power that their music currently unleashes. As is the case in a cruel world it's unlikely they'll ever reach the heights of Britney Spears stardom but for a lot of people they will mean an awful lot more. And anyway, with bands like this you get greedy and want to keep them to yourself. Already national heroes in their own land there is a Sage being written about them as we speak. KD

Rating: 9/10

More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Album: [UK] Agaetis Byrjun [US] Ágætis Byrjun
Listen: Sigur Ros - Starálfur

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