Ágætis Byrjun

Background music with an edge? Soundtrack to a story I have not heard?

Funky as expected when you see an outlined baby and a blue background. Kind of rncapsulated what the womb might have been idk I don’t remember but nothing all the memorable anyway. The feeling of doing weeding in the yard while zoned out in 88 degree weather. Drink: have to go with an orange Gatorade. Touches elements of what you want but way better alternatives.

Christ. That was long.

didnt do it for me, too strange, i mean its something different, I get it, I get how this album got into the 1001, a few songs felt like the song at the end of a good movie, but hearing a whole album like that or worse wasnt for me,

interesting but needed more energy that day 5/10 Will I add this album to my library: no

Cool for 5 minutes. Not for 1 hour

Maybe in another dimension

Dreamy and atmospheric but not my thing. Music to fall asleep to

Perché et planant, pas ma came

Quite droney at times. I can imagine these songs backing a dramatic scene in a movie, but it's not the sort of music I generally like on its own

Since I don't understand Icelandic, I have to treat the vocals as an instrument in my brain. It is haunting until the repetitive nature of the lyrics goes over my repetition threshold and than I start to chimp and have to next it. I've run into a couple of the songs in the wild, but this isn't my thing.

Would've liked it even more without any words at all

Cold and somewhat pretentious, still, this is what I wished Radiohead sounded like

Has not aged well

its good technically, but to me it was lowkey boring...

Not very exciting nor interesting. Ok to listen to once, but that’s about it. 2/5

Not for me, but can appreciate a lot of the music, like the instruments on tracks 4,5,7.

Icelandic fairy music. However I am neither Icelandic nor a fairy

Die isländische Band Sigur Rós aus Reykjavík nahm ihr zweites Album zwischen Sommer 1998 und Frühjahr 1999 gemeinsam mit Produzent Ken Thomas im bandeigenen Studio Sundlaugin im Mosfellsbær, einer kleinen Gemeinde nahe Reykjavík, auf. Erschienen auf dem Reykjavíker Independent-Label Smekkleysa, verankert Ágætis Byrjun – auf Deutsch etwa „Ein recht guter Start" – die Band im internationalen Post-Rock-Diskurs, ohne sich je wirklich darin einrichten zu wollen. Die Platte markiert einen radikalen Neuanfang gegenüber dem Debüt Von: Wo zuvor diffuse Ambientsketches dominierten, tritt nun ein durchkomponiertes Orchesterpanoptikum in den Vordergrund, getragen von Frontmann Jónsi Birgissons mit dem Cellobogen gespielter Gitarre und einem doppelten Streichoktett. Die bekanntesten Stücke des Albums – das hypnotisch kreisende „Svefn-g-englar", das breit angelegte „Ny Batteri" und das titelgebende Abschlussstück „Ágætis Byrjun" – demonstrieren eine emotionale Dynamik, die zwischen zerbrechlicher Stille und orchestralem Ausbruch pendelt. Jónsi singt teils auf Isländisch, teils in der von ihm erfundenen Kunstsprache Vonlenska, die jeden Bedeutungshorizont offenhält und das Hörerlebnis in eine seltsam universelle Melancholie taucht. „Olsen Olsen" und „Ára bátur" runden eine außergewöhnlich kohärente Tracklist ab, die keine Lücke, keinen Leerlauf kennt. Ágætis Byrjun erschien in Island zunächst fast unbemerkt, bevor es über FatCat Records in Großbritannien (2000) und später in Nordamerika internationale Aufmerksamkeit erlangte und auf zahlreichen Jahrzehnt-Bestenlisten landete. Das Album steht für jene seltene Übereinstimmung von Ort, Zeit und Klang: Die isländische Landschaft scheint in jeder Frequenz zu resonieren, ohne je zur Kulisse zu werden. Ágætis Byrjun ist eines der wenigen Alben, das tatsächlich so klingt, wie sich Stille anfühlen würde, wenn sie Form annähme.

Not for me

As always, I applaud the effort to include a variety of musical styles on the list of 1001 albums. This album, though, is a long, slow slog. Maybe it would be tremendously uplifting or something if I spoke Icelandic?

I mean, ok

Wat de knakkerbrood is dit.

meh

muy flashero para mí ahre, la verdad es que no me gusta mucho pero no esta nada mal

5 on mushrooms, 2 or 3 sober

I qyiite like a lot of Sigur Ros’s music. It’s ethereal relaxing quality felt like the perfect accompaniment to the drive round the m25 and back north. It certainly started that way, however as the album went on it just got a bit boring and slightly irritating

The dreaded "open an album, see the length, feel your heart drop" issue. The problem with making an album that's 1 hour, 11 minutes, is that you REALLY have to enjoy the artist to not get fed up of it. They don't half drone on, eh? It's pretty, but also repetitive. And in parts beautiful, but also soooooo long. I feel like I should like it, but 1 have no intention of ever listening to it again. Just not for me... 2/5

Found this band boring when my friends were crazy about them. Hoped to liked it better now because maturity but it didn't happen.

scandinavian garbage jk its just lame and boring

for me its boring and the songs sound too similar

586/1001 2026.04.06 😴😴🌑🌑🌑

119. dune music

Radiohead if Thom was trying to squeeze into Barry Gibb's pants.

j’étais vraiment, mais vraiment pas dans le mood pour ça aujourd’hui à réécouter 🖤— Flugufrelsarinn, Hjartað Hamast

They're taking themselves way too seriously.

Very boring album, not my style at all. There are times throughout listening I thought the album showed promise, but those were far and few between. A standout for me was Flugufrelsarinn, and the bass intro of Olsen Olsen. Ný batterí wasn't too bad a song either. Overall, the second half was better, but I still didn't enjoy this one, but I can see why people do like it.

Seems like everything needs to be just right for a song to land. Didn’t get the balance right for me.

It was interesting to listen to it, not for me 2/5

I listened to this in it's entirety and I struggled to stay awake and hold off on throwing my phone against the wall. This is wispy, whiney, wacko, woebegone, whimpering BS. Please, no more.

Huge disappointment. Im a big fan of "Every Morning" and "Fly" off of their record 14:59, but this couldn't be a huger departure from--wait, I'm just getting a message, one moment...uh huh...uh huh...ohhhhh. OK that makes sense. Still...not really my thing, though the fact that I listened to this on the first beautiful day of spring instead of the bleakest part of winter might have to do with my rating.

This was one I was just ready to get through. It felt longer than it actually is because every song is so slow and dreamy, and after a while it all started blending together for me. I get why people love the atmosphere, but it never grabbed me.

it’s very pretty, just not for me!

2.5

ehhhhh

A slog to get through, pretty boring.

A bit much, way too long and just not what I needed to start my weekend off right if I'm honest

Ummmm. Been digesting this one for 24 hours before reviewing. I liked it but I think I need to be in a specific mood for it to work for me. I did like a few songs especially Olsen olsen. Would be interested in listening to more

No clue what to think of this album. It wasn't unpleasant, but I don't think I really enjoyed it.

This album brings me back to a time where middling adolescents tried way too hard to be deep. To an extent, I enjoy the ethereal feel of this, but it really kind of just falls short due to the aforementioned statement. I will watch a life aquatic again though because of this.

If I didn’t put headphones in, I think this album would’ve gotten a one but lucky enough at song six I put headphones in and it got significantly better, but I don’t think I will ever return to this album, but I did save a few songs. I probably won’t listen to this album ever again entirety who knows maybe if I would’ve listened to this album with headphones all the way through. It would get a five but as of right now this album gets 2/5

I get the vision and the structure of the album, but I will never listen to it again.

I can see how it’s on the list and how people like it but I don’t have the patience for the 8 minute bs song

Not my cup of tea- may be good when high- marijuana or shroomies No words, ethereal, spacey vibes

Not for me

Just plain boring. Ambient in the wrong way.

Really atmospheric and kind of cool music. Entirely new to me and the experience was fun. Its not something I think I will come back to though. I can't see a time and place where this is the album I would choose to listen to. Perhaps in the future I will be in a time and place where that changes and if so I hope i remember this album exists.

Chillout music, its fine to listen maybe 1-2 songs from this album, but fuck over hour is too much. Not my type of music.

I generally like music like this and there were some good songs on the album, but it left a lot to be desired and I think there are bands that do this music better. Might revisit in the future or check out another of their albums because there is some interesting stuff here.

I listened to this album 3 times and let me tell you, I really didn’t like it. I almost fell asleep twice and was wondering when it would end. I understand that it was big in its era but this isn’t for me.

This sounds like is from Iceland. Pretty, Ethereal, and yet I have no clue what it is or what is going on

Bland.

Not for me.

Hmm where to start here. I guess this is technically what is called "Global" music? Super ethereal and vibey. Goes in a biiiiiit too long though. That's about all I can really muster up

My only previous experience of Icelandic music is Bjork. So I was kind of expecting something a bit unusual. Some tracks lived up to that expectation! Lyrics in Icelandic language doesn't help with understanding, and too many 'lyrics' just seemed to be dreamy floating sounds. Where the lyrics were sung that helped. The music was fairly dreamy too. Probably would have been OK as music to fall asleep to. Don't think I'll be seeking Sigur Rós out again though.

This album requires your full attention while simultaneously doing nothing to hold it. I definitely caught a few "hey that's kinda cool" moments throughout... and I'm sure I zoned out through a bunch more. Really tough to listen to and I honestly think it's not worth it.

Couldn't finish it.

Not my thing.

Not the most accessible album. Could I get into this with multiple listens? Maybe

I know how loved this group is by the millennials, and I have tried several times to appreciate them. And while there are some instrumental passages that are truly gorgeous, the vocals ruin it for me every time. Kudos for their made up song language, I guess, but I will leave Sigur Ros to the youngers.

sounds euphoric, i like the vocals although i cannot understand what they are saying; the instrumentals are loud but clear, not in an overbearing way

Atmospheric and moody, but veeeeeery slow.

Denne var nok ikke dårlig, men den var ikke for meg

It is surely something out of my comfort zone! I am not saying that it's a bad album, but it is an unusual and weird experience since it demands a little effort to keep listening (because of the unknown lyrics and the long songs).

Nierda!!! No quiero ser islandes

10,000 selling copies give you platina...that is weird.

Would be good movie music, it’s cinematic and evokes a feeling, but I didn’t enjoy it as an album listening experience.

I never really got the band when Hoppípolla went big and listening to their earlier stuff didn't do much for me either.

This could make a good soundtrack to a particularly dreary and miserable video game / movie, but why anyone would listen to it outside of those I don’t know

not in english, and kind of odd

⭐️⭐️ Better if high

I've avoided Sigur Ros for decades and now I'm mildly surprised at this very orchestral record. I understand it's revolutionary, and I agree it's alright but ultimately not my thing.

Made it through 3 songs then got sleepy.

I don't get it. It's music to fall asleep to.

Bem, eu não consegui me conectar muito às músicas. É um tipo de música atmosférica com BPM baixo que usa muitos teclados e pads (timbres bonitos, diga-se). Duas ou três músicas me agradaram mais, mas somente isso. Talvez numa segunda audição tenha uma opinião diferente. A capa é muito boa.

This is pretty good music to fall asleep to! Ethereal and soft (for the majority, there's a couple songs with breakdowns). It sounds like it comes from a different planet. Generally speaking, this just isn't really my thing. It was overly long and frankly somewhat boring for the majority. I would put this at like a 2.5 if I could, but 2 feels appropriate.

I have no idea how to rate this one. Atmospheric music where i am waiting for something to happen in seventy minutes, but it doesnt. very much like a Radiohead album. Whale music for the Avant-Garde at an art show. I do think the cover is pretty cool.

My goodness, just so boring. The only thing saving it from being a 1 is that at least SOME of the songs started to build up and shift a little, and knowing there's worse out there.

A very "dream like" melonic listen. Like being in a trance.

I thought this album was very similar to the one the other day. But not as good.

you gotta have the patience of a saint to get through this. this was overall more boring than I would have anticipated. no bad per se but enjoyable? no, the intro was fire and the song after too but fuck i wanna listen to an album not a movie.

Just kind of meh for me.

I actually didn’t hate it quite as much as I thought I would. It’s slow and experimental and in Icelandic, but it works for like a chilly day background music. I certainly wouldn’t choose it, and honestly didn’t finish it, but it wasn’t the worst album on here

Not my cup of tea, would be good to listen to while working/studying. Some songs had weird audio level mixtures where the start of the song is insanely quiet and the end is extremely loud.

Probably would enjoy it more on repeated listens but no chance of that

pretty boring .... ok å ha i bakgrunnen på jobb

Scary

I feel like Im abstracting (tadc reference) 💀. The lyrics and premise are definitely out-there and unique for sure, but the actual music is sonically pleasant. Both dreamlike and nightmarish. I appreciate what they were trying to do but I don’t think I’ll be revisiting. I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t necessarily love it, I saved 4/10 songs so 2 stars ⭐️

Listening to this was an interesting experience. The instrumental is well done; the lyrics are okay. I don't think I'd find myself deliberately clicking on this album to relisten but if it came out I would not skip it.

Conceptually I like the idea of this album and would like to have rated it higher, but I think it just becomes a bit too airy chamber pop-y for my tastes Standouts Svefn-g-englar 2/5

Samey? Not much of an impression on me honestly. Can appreciate using a cello bow on guitars though.

Some good stuff in there but it's just too long :/

Again not for me but can why it’s popular

Very dreamy. Too dreamy.

Very chilled and relaxing but sometimes annoying

A few very nice chill songs but not many that I properly connect with, sound a bit like a Nordic stoned jamming session, good vibes but wouldn’t actively seek out

Didn't finish

The Icelandic cousins of the Cocteau Twins, happily making up their own dream pop language as they go.

Okay - not really my taste but can appreciate it musically. Lots of violin!!!

despite my love for post rock, i've never become a Sigur Rós fan. i really dig "Ny batterí" but apart from that it's just a tad bit too otherworldly for me...

very ambient - not very motivational.

Ihme vinkunaa

Not my kind of cake.. ⭐️⭐️

This is like Radiohead on Qualudes. Craftsmanship is there musically. I don't mind a bit of sombreness in music. Any of these tracks would be good in a playlist. But as an album it is just too much.

Look, I understand this album is a mood. And it's not a bad mood, but it's just not my mood.

It’s a no from me dog. 😔✌️

It's different, I'll give them that. I don't care for it, nice try though. 2

lofi music to study to

Got a bit samey too quickly. Not a fan, even though one or two tracks might sound ok if nestled in a mix tape.

Not for me

A little bit too........strange for me

wanted this to be over very quick into the listen

Not feeling this today

Unfortunately, this misses the mark for me. It made for solid background music though.

Just not my bag

As an instrumental, I would have liked this album much more. The vocals are grating to me. Since they're in a language I don't speak and that hits my ear in an assaulting way, I just can't get by it. Things picked up for me in the last 3rd of the album ⭐⭐.5

Not really my type of Music.

I don't think this is bad necessarily. There's a road less traveled where I'm a huge fan of this, it hit at the right formative moment, and I got super into it instead of A Perfect Circle or the Crüxshadows or another similar band that took a different left turn on this album's path. It's a three but I really, really hated every second of the 10:06 in Svefn-g-englar.

Post-rock is the most spectacularly boring genre of all time Does a nice job of sending me to sleep

Fine

I can see why some people like this kind of music, but its not for me. Sounds like background music to a marvel movie's action scene.

I can't say I liked it, I can't say I understand why this style of music exists, but I can't help but think if they were doing something closer to what I like, they're all talented enough that I would like them, so I can't hit them too hard - talented, just not my cup of tea I guess.

Sigur Ros is one of those bands I'd always heard of but never listened to. I can't even recall if I've heard a single Sigur Ros song, let alone an entire album. I didn't even know it was a band; I always thought it was the name of a solo artist. And for whatever reason, I have negative connotations with Sigur Ros because I groaned a little when I saw the album and said to myself, "I'll probably hate this." Turns out my fears weren't unfounded. There was like one song I didn't find impossibly boring. I get that it's moody and atmospheric and the fact that I can't understand the lyrics doesn't help but my God what a slog this one was.

I started listening to this feeling quite cheerful, 10 mins in I was gloomy, two tracks later I was clinically depressed. Luckily I found the off switch before self harm became an issue but it was close. All in all not for me.

This doesn’t resonate with me. I like some ambient and dream pop, but this just felt too ethereal.

Decent background music but couldn't get into it

first impressions, i like the cover A LOT. learned that they are icelandic, so i am immediately thinking they will give me weird bjork vibes...hopefully. - sounding like come down music - sad girl vibes - if i hadn't read that this was a man, would've thought it was a woman singing - not enjoying the rock bits - enjoying ny batteri more - i like viorar, v peaceful, not so ambient that it feels like the song is going nowhere -- yeah this song easily the best so far, the crescendo towards the end is killer. I wouldn't listen to this again intentionally. If it's on that's fine, but I doubt I'll seek it out

I'm fairly skeptical of any musical genre that starts with the word "post" but I haven't experience much postrock. Anyway, they say you can't really judge a book by its cover, but you can definitely judge this album by its cover. It sounds exactly like the music an alien baby with angel wings and webbed hands still attached to the umbilical cord would jam to. Or float to, I guess. It's not unpleasant, it just lacks rhythm, groove, character. Just floaty coffee shop music. Naturally, it's on the long side. 2/5

Perhaps I wasn’t in the mood, but this is not something I’d re-listen.

Some great tracks but a bit difficult for me to get through

Can listen the whole way through but sounds like sad background music

It was fine. It's not really 'trance' music, but it's also not not trance.

Sounded like ambient noise, which I'm not sure they were intending given that the genre is post-rock. Didn't really make me engaged.

No private session used for Spotify. A band that I know I know, but can't recall how and when I listen to their music. I knew one of the songs. I like that song, but didn't need an albums worth of it.

-Some of the songs are okay, or have interesting orchestral elements, but as a whole I don't think I really like this album or perhaps artist.

It starts interesting and atmospheric, but that wares thin fairly quick.

Not a bit of me, I get the idea behind it but meh

Staralfur good Harmonica jump scare Gets boring fairly quickly but I respect the vibes enough to give it a 2/5

Decent background music - couple of good songs but I probably won't be going back to it in a hurry

Nope. Ambient tones that are monotonous to my ear. Not offensive, and likely beautiful. Just not to my tastes.

Good post-rock stuff, but not really for me

Interesting but it ultimately doesn’t do it for me.

So much to trudge through until there are moments of pleasure. Moments, because soon you are trudging through drudgery again.

Listened while driving around Scotland’s highlands, and the vibes still didn’t carry this album too far.

I remember liking this when I was young, but now it's just noise to me.

Mostly boring

2.4

interesting.

2/5 not something I would normally listen to :(

Beautiful music but not for me.

Good ambient music, but I didn't care for the vocals. I'm sure this style was largely unheard of at this time, so I do have to give them credit for that.

Good production. Sounds fine. It's a lot of ambient tunes, sort of depressing vocals. A bit depressing all around. I'd say it's a good background album for an overcast or rainy day.

Is there anything from Iceland that just isn’t fucking weird? I don’t know if it’s something in the water, the isolation from the rest of the world, the small and possibly inbred population or some kind of fey fairy magic, but it’s weird stuff. Weird doesn’t mean bad, but weird it is. Bjork, Sigur Ros, the guy from Game of Thrones… Add to the fact that apparently Sigur Ros doesn’t actually sing any real lyrics- you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s Icelandic- which almost no one speaks- but it’s not. It’s their made-up fairy language. The music is lush, orchestral and electronic and the soundtrack for a noble Viking death in some 90s movie. ¨Hjartao Hamast¨ sounds like the Deftones if made the soundtrack for a futuristic gay sauna. This is meant as high praise- like the rest of the album, the song takes you somewhere. All in all, it was easy to let the music fall into the background- it was transportive enough when I actively listened but at times easy to disengage from. That’s not the band’s failing, it’s mine. Best songs: ¨Hjartao Hamast¨

Interesting album could revisit on a weird day

If it were a score to a movie it could be good- as a stand alone album less so.

It's not my cup of tea.

Icelandic radiohead.

Was it good? No. Was it interesting? Not really. Did it change music? Definitely not.

Enjoyable enough

Defiantly not my favorite kind of album. It never really goes anywhere for me, with each break in music being progressively slower.

Need more time with this.

I think i dont get this because im not a musician. Because it sounds complex and difficult and grand. But what was the impetus to make it? Some of it is just noisy.

Truly sad that the first actually experimental album on my journey thus far just wasn’t for me but hey, what can I say. But it just wasn’t for me. It was still interesting and somewhat okay background noise but I will forget I listened to this pretty soon.

Sleepy

What Enya would sound like on gummies

Had to skip the back half of Svefn-g-englar because I couldn't stand the "It's yooooooooooou" refrain, assuming that's what they were saying. I had to listen to the album multiple times to find a track that I wanted to capture for a future-listen playlist: no favorites easily jumped out to me. I'm not as enamored of the Jonsi falsetto, but maybe it's just not for me. These vibes make me want to listen to Radiohead instead.

low bpm, baydı

Largely pleasant and forgettable. A nice enough way to fall asleep if you need a soundtrack for that.

Did not like this album at all. Thought Svefn-g-englar had a cool interesting vibe to start and then the entire album just had no energy. The lead singer made me physically uncomfortable on bamm bamm bamm. Not for me

Some cool moments and sounds but did not grab me.

Musical wallpaper

I heard some of the Icelandic magic (like Bjork), but the songs never felt like they truly get energetic enough to stick around for. Glad I gave it an honest listen, but I dont get it

I like the beats and everything with it but it feels like the songs get kind of dragged out and over stay their welcome after a couple of minutes in

Trippy and reminded me of UFOs

Another album that doesn't go anywhere. Nice noises, but an hour of it isn't for me.

I have mixed feelings. It was a challenge for me to finish the album. I lost my interest in most songs due to their slow intro. However, as the songs progressed, intricate melodies -maybe not even melody, sound- appeared. I felt like looking at a nebula. Still, these parts were not common and I will have to skip a lot if I want to listen to these songs again. I think they are just not my type.

One of those bands I'd heard about but never heard. Everything I heard about them sounded like they aren't my thing. Listening to this confirms they are not my thing.

lulling me to sleep while I work. I do appreciate the instrumentation but it needs something in addition to whats here to make this a classic.

Didn’t like this one at all

expected a kinda pretentious sonic soundscape thing, and it delivered that, with some moments of beauty. but it all wore kind of thin. kind of annoying. it's an hour-plus soundtrack to luxury cars on winding autumnal roads. a soft-focus tribute to the lexus december to remember sales event.

it was fine

Interesting background music

Not really my thing, but it wasn’t bad. Album art is off putting tbh.

Difficult. I love "Starálfur" since several years but I did not like any other song on this album. It is creative, there are lots and lots of moments which are interesting. But still, I simply don't get it for most parts.

Not for me Best Song: Flugufrelsarrin Rating: 4.5/10 (not Good) Stars: 2/5

Beautiful songs individually but as a an album I found it a hard listen, bit of a chore to get through.

Not bad, my Icelandic is rusty so didn’t really connect.

Interesting is the word id use. dramatic, sweeping, but repetitive and nothing really of note. the long songs were really annoying honestly. good background music but not much more than that; definitely could feel the emotion through the music but it wasn't something i deeply resonated with

Droning soundtrack music. I’d have to give it another listen but couldn’t get into it.

Qué es esta poronga hermano, banco lo novedoso y lo que quiso intentar pero un PARTO literal

Es como estas en el utero a punto de nacer pero como que no salis nunca, quedas en el eter flotando. Me aburrí.

Interesante la propuesta ponele, Posta un sonido muy novedoso. +1 estrella por usar el arco de violín en la guitarra y dar esas vibes Pero no es algo que dejaría sonando a gusto (capaz de fondo)

Meh!

Very mid, I didn’t enjoy. Not my type of music and found it a bit boring honestly

Talented but so slow and painful

Both dreamy and dreary.

I can appreciate what they are doing with this album, but I just can't get into it. I like psychedelic rock and I feel like there are elements in this album, but there seems to be a lot of tension...

Musically solid. The lack of English lyrics and the voice is a little annoying Would be good for background music?

Sleep music?

Ambient music. Not my thing. Lyrics when sung are too distracting to let me read.

Not for me. Listened yesterday and I can’t remember what it was.

It was good background music but a bit too weird for my taste at times.

Not really my thing but most tracks were pleasant.

I find this music very very dull

Definitely an interesting album. I can appreciate the musicianship, but this was an album that required more of my attention and I just couldn’t get into it. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

Not for me

the strangest album yet 2/5

This album made me sleepy

Meh. 2*

Boring

The vocals on this are infuriating 95% of the time, vacillating between a shit falsetto and a forced soft voice that reaches an absolutely enraging nadir on Hjartad Hamast where it sounds like this motherfucker is insipidly whining in your ear and you don’t know what it’s about or how a grown person can sound so pathetically infantile. There is some beautiful music here, but every track lasting seven minutes means it’s interspersed with a lot that isn’t great to hear. The best stuff on this album sounds like it could be the music in a documentary about space exploration or technological progress, and I don’t really feel like I mean that in a complimentary manner despite it being the nicest thing I have to say about this album.

Oh boy…Icelandic Artsy Fartsy. Great if you’re into that stuff.

when it's good it'really good but most of the time it isn't for me.

Interesting sounds and really crisp, immersive production, but I found this a real chore to listen to. Too ponderous, pompous and plodding to hold interest for long and what few melodic ideas there are here become repetitive and are buried under the wall of sound. I'll give it two stars for the vision, but this isn't something I'd return to personally.

Very soft and slow. Might make good sleep music?

What in the Swedish chef transcendentalism was this?!

It was pretty slow to get going. It did grow on me a bit as I listened but generally kind of boring for me. Too sophisticated for my tastes I guess.

Some good songs but i don't really get it overall

Initially I liked the art-house, ambient vibe of the album but that novelty wore away by the fourth song and I had a hard time getting through it

Very chill with weird melodies. 2

glad i stuck with this one bc it improved a little towards the end

Reminded me of Beach House, Cigarettes After Sex. Maybe they were the original influence? I would say it’s a 2.5 stars, not quite 3. If it was in English and or had more vocals I’d be more into it. Solid.

War mir zu "abgespaced", wird sicherlich seine Fans finden oder gefunden haben, für mich ist das nichts. 2 Sterne

Good god No. Making up a language is one thing, but making up a language and being obnoxious about it is another. As soon as the singer chimed in I got shivers and had to distract myself from the voice. There was a couple songs that started off genuinely beautiful, and I can see where the influence comes in, but that’s all I’ll give.

I have enjoyed tracks by this artist in the past amd I recognize that this is thier 'best' work. But it truly bored the balls of me

I find the Sigur Ros sound a bit irritating after a while - the whole album became a bit of a struggle towards the end,

Music made for me to dislike (slow and sad). Gave it a go and found the earlier portion of the album to have a beautiful, somewhat haunting and ethereal quality which i quickly came to tire of when I realised the whole album is just more of the same. All Nordic languages sound like the Swedish chef muppet to me and this shit drags on way too long. Also upon finding out the vocalist was a man I immediately reassessed the above comment about the quality of the vocals as not beautiful but gay and retarded.

First song bangs but tbh the rest struck me as a bunch of whiny screeching. Maybe I'm missing something #imightbeabitch

Man bestimmt ansich voll schön, aber ehrlich gesagt dafür gerade gar keine Aufmerksamkeit :(

Eh.

Some good parts, but nothing to justify listening to an hour and 10 minutes of it

Kinda cool vibes but got a bit bored.

I kind of get how people would like this. Especially if they're high out of their mind. Good music to chill and listen to. For that, they stay out of my 1 star rating. But, it's not my jam.

I found this extremely boring and difficult to listen to. Some lovely moments harmonically but overall didn’t really inspire any emotion in me

Not bad by any stretch but I couldnt understand it so I likely wont be back.

..

Some somber and pretty post-rock, but I am not going to bother trying to get translations of their Icelandic lyrics into English, so who knows what the hell is coming into being by the end of the album? Hard not to fall asleep with this album, though it is clear what the ambition of the band was, and I appreciate that they swung for the fences. I certainly felt the album drag by track 7 of 10. Unfortunately, I had more fun reading about how the album songs were created than I did while actually listening to the songs themselves, and I'm not sure what to make of that.

Not a fan..

It was okay....

Heard it before. In general it's not my vibe but I can appreciate the calmness of the album 2/5

I thought I had the wrong album after reading the reviews. This is not the least bit interesting to me. I didn’t absolutely hate it, but 2 stars is generous.

Not a fan

Icelandic folksy Enigma is not my kind of groove.

I don't know if I "got" this album. It was a nice soothing listen, with cool ambient music that was relaxing. But that's all it was for 70 minutes. Nothing else on the album, just the same ambient music without much variance. Which is fine, but not that great or memorable

Hey, Opium dens need to play something too. I admit there is a lot of creativity and uniqueness on display, but its just not for me. I just can't imagine the circumstance in which I would want to spin this again.

Sigur Ros я узнала еще в подростковом возрасте и думала - боже, какая унылая музыка. Прошли годы, я думала, раз я люблю ambient, может и атмосферный sigur ros мне зайдет для длинных неспешных вечеров... Но нет. Все еще уныло. Мои длинные вечера проходят совсем в другом вайбе, все-таки.. Музыка все-таки очень красивая местами, прям хочется послушать, но вокал и общий флоу - кошмар. Поэтому при большом уважении, все таки - такая оценка

Icelandic mellow rock. Svefn-g-englar was painfully redundant with just the lyrics that sound like "it's you" over and over again. Very dreamy and mellow. It was okay.

Pre-listening thoughts: the cover is making me wildly uncomfortable and that is the sole reason I have put this album off for so long. Post/during listening thoughts: what the hell am I listening to? It’s not bad, but are they trying to lull me to sleep? This is just ambience. The instrumentals are beautiful but not engaging. Every song is unnecessarily long. Somebody wake me up in an hour and 11 mins. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: this is probably what the kiss of death sounds like but no Fav tracks: idk man I liked some moments but every song was just way longer than I wanted it to be Least fav tracks: Avalon

It's good music to listen to while trying to fall asleep, but that's not exactly a compliment.

2 out of 5. Some nice moments throughout.

Starting quite good but the end was a drag

Instrumental Icelandic

Icelandic atmospheric music. Meh.

Man, I dunno. People seem to love SR but I can't get into them. Probably good background for studying or zoning out or waxing my handlebar mustache or something, but I can't get there.

its like meditation music kinda... its ok? i'd never go out of my way to listen to this.

Wow been a while since this one. Majorly into during this album during college in art school. Surprisingly still very good and it brought back some feelings. Don’t know that I would still continue to listen to it.

I didn't like this album at all.

as far as our weird albums go... this one honestly isn't too bad. it is a lovely sound, and it is quite pleasant to have playing in the background. I happened to listen to this album as I was flying home from Cali and I felt like there was a soundtrack for a portion of my ride. that being said... it's a 2 stars. probably never going to play this album again. it wasn't awful, but giving it a middling 3 stars seems unfair because of other 3 stars that i have ranked.

I don’t know how I feel about this one. There were times I was really vibing with it, but there were other times that it felt like listening to ambient noise for longer than I wanted to. Between the length and the language gap, I’m gonna go with a two.

It is atmospheric, ambient, sometime ethereal music that sounds like it's that moment 3/4 of a way through a romantic comedy film when something has gone wrong and a character needs a scene to be seen thinking very hard about what they have done wrong and then probably go run towards the love of their life they obviously nearly let slip through their fingers (actually I could genuinely here this moment of them getting up and started to run through the christmassy streets looking for their love at about 4:30 of Staralfur.) I guess that's quite a good thing if this music can provoke an image in my head but also by me conjuring that image is not one that is emotional to me but sadly just makes me think, generic. I don't know if this is because Sigur Ros were the first to do it in 1999 and therefore, congrats, as that means a lot of others have followed suit or if this kind of music has just been around us all in various ways and so inevitably blurs into eachother. At times it reminds me of Moby, but I think I prefer Moby.

Not my taste.

Borrrringggggggg

would not ask to put it on. could i write poetry to this? n

Wacky

A little bit too psychedelic for my taste. 3/10

I was somewhat familiar with Sigur Rós because I listened to a lot of Jónsi (Birgisson -- lead singer) around 2010. This is a more atmospheric soundscape approach and I think it has to be the right moment to fully digest what they're offering with this album. It's pretty long and a lot of it feels like waiting for a moment that never happens but there's some really beautiful instrument combinations interspersed throughout. You almost forget that the vocals are in a different language, I personally think this improves the listen but I fully understand that people might not like this (or aren't willing to fully invest in the sonic experience). It's definitely a journey and you have to pay attention and follow along to really get it. 2.25 because I still like Jónsi's solo projects better.

1.9

weird but not terrible

Good music to fall asleep too

Jeg skal jo bruge hele skalaen, kan godt se det gode i albummet, vild med hvor meget ingenting der er på det, men ikke helt min stil

soundscapes

Album 565 of 1001 Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun (1999) Rating : 2.5 / 5 Described as Icelandic post-rock. While I can't praise this as a great "album", I can recommend it for falling asleep or a meditation aid. That isn't a put down. It is a very peaceful and calming album. It can put you in a relaxed mood and is quite relaxing. Not that entertaining but not all bad. Perhaps if I could understand the language it would resonate more.

The made-up lyrics always struck me as such a weird choice. It's extremely relaxing and great background music but I find it difficult to actively listen to. My favorite parts usually had no vocals. Fav Track: Flugufrelsarinn

this drags on for way longer than it should and the incredibly slow tempo makes it feel even longer

2.5 ethereal but samey and the high pitch voice grinds over time

Very odd. Liked some, some of it felt like soft screemo

Bof , bof pas séduit par l'éther ..................

Welp, I guess I get it. A couple songs were intolerable.

I don't get post-rock. I can hear the talent on display but none of it affects me in the slightest, except for the eventual boredom.

Meh.

Meh. There were parts I liked and parts I didn’t. Very soundtrack like. Space/intergalactic feel. Favorite song: Staralfur

Classical music for nerdy high school English teachers to grade papers to while they ponder their fleeting youth when they used to lean against the doorframe at frat parties awkwardly leering at the sorority girls who were never ✨intellectual✨ enough to date but certainly hot enough to gawk at. I’d call it well-composed, but well-composed is just a nice way of saying the music is pretentious *and* boring at the same time.

Creepy

Sigur Ros always passed me by, despite being a fan of some of their peers, and although going in hopeful this did nothing for me. It's undeniably well made and accomplished, but I found it cold and overblown.

Look, this album sucks. It’s not magical, beautiful, awe inspiring, or emotional. Is this supposed to be music on some other galaxy? I’m not buying it. I saw Star Wars and the Cantina band jammed.

Just weird. Not the worst thing I’ve listened to, but if I’m going to listen to instrumental background stuff, this isn’t it

Felt more like a soundscape album than a music album for the most part. I enjoy chill music to read to or have in the background, but this wasn't great reading music. Felt pretty unexcited by it, too soundscapey.

Not really for me. Songs are slow and boring prefer something with abit more oomph. I can see why this album has such high praise by its fans but it comes off as a little too pretentious for me. No hate of course as everyone has different tastes and I did manage to listen to the whole album while working, but I certainly wont be in a rush to listen to any of the songs any time soon.

Meio psicodélico, uns sons meio ASMR. Não curti muito.

4.04 rym troppo etereo e onirico e tutto quanto