Reviews (page 2 of 15)
I bought into the hype when this was released and purchased the cd when it came out here in the US. I was really into the whole ambient meets post-rock thing at the time. If it came out on Kranky Records, I was all over it. So reading about this band from Iceland that mixes the two genres and the guitarist uses a violin bite on his guitar, I ran to get it. I listened to it over and over trying to get into it but there’s something about the vocals that just make it unlistenable for me. It’s like they hit this certain frequency that gives me the ick. Drive my dog up the wall as well. I gotta say, if this was an instrumental album, it would be gorgeous.
Moody, string heavy, and very pretty—orchestral. I couldn’t understand a word but still like it. Reminds me of wee hours of the morning winter music. Long, and one needs to be in the mood for it. Meditation music rather than up and at em.
Sigur Ros is one of my favourite bands, so this was only ever going to get a 5 from me. It's not my favourite of theirs, but it is beautiful, atmospheric, and highly expressive like all their stuff.
I swear to you this happened: I woke up before dawn this morning, saw the blue hazy light outside and switched on the lamps in my apartment. I thought... "hmm. Ágaetis Byrjurn." I was halfway through the record when I idly checked the 1001 site and, lo and behold, here it was. This record was the soundtrack to the longest winter of my life. It was a time when I desperately needed some hope. The title, which translates to "A New Beginning," captures the album's beautiful, pre-dawn feeling: That today just might be the day that you were waiting for. It is a perfect hour of music. Maybe, because I felt that album coming to me this morning, and a one in one thousand chance seemed to agree, today just might be that day. Five stars.
Vaca catch up
Didn't interfere with work.
Absolutely gorgeous.
Some really beautiful moments here and an interesting listen, maybe better if just listened to in a dark room or for a certain mood. But definitely surprised me, was not familiar and will give them some more time at some point.
I generally like post-rock, and I've been known to enjoy some Sigur Ros as a part of that, but this one didn't really do it for me. Not sure why, I was just kinda bored.
I enjoyed that more than I expected but it was way too long and again, I'm not giving tons of praise for background albums
Favorite: Svefn-g-englar
Boring, moody, ambient music with bad singing. 1.5 stars.
Astonishingly boring. The Icelandic doesn’t help either.
That was….ethereal? There were some select instrumental high points but I wasn’t on enough drugs driving to work to really appreciate it. Maybe I don’t get it. What is this live show like? Do they play this during ayahuasca trips? I made it through thanks to curiosity alone, saving this from a 1
NY batteri
I don’t mind Sigur Ros. I haven’t heard this album, but Takk and ( ) were in my rotation in the late 2000s. That being said…I don’t mind them in smaller doses, and this album drags. I think it’s a great one to be on the list, it’s always cool when people get exposed to them. It wasn’t a highlight for me though.
Would not seek this music out for listening pleasure, but it’s clear that Sigur Ros are a talented and creative band deserving of more than just one listen. One word: Soundscape.
I already LOVE Sigur Ros but i’ve still somehow never heard about 95% of this and oh my god it’s incredible no doi. However it’s not my favorite of theirs. Maybe some day but today is not that day. I don’t THINK Takk… is on this list but it goddamn should be.
Unusual, to say the least. As I've discovered from listening to Bjork, Iceland is just different. Although the mood was very chill, for the most part, I found some of the tracks offputting. I sought translations to understand the earnestness of the vocals in places, and it's really true that some (in this case, most) things get lost in translation. I really did enjoy Viðrar vel til loftárása musically if not lyrically, and the title track was decent on both counts.
I got excited when I realized this wasn't going to be another mediocre brit pop album or god forbid if david bowie popped up again. Turns out this sounded like an underwater scene from the Hunt for Red October. Nyet spaseeba.
Great, slow rock, very atmospheric. Moody and sometimes dark.
I say this when I mean it. This is one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. 01. Intro It sets the mood. It doesn't do anything really, but is really nice. 02. Svefn-g-englar Anyone who has heard this album knows how beautiful this song is. Beautiful lyrics, and some absolutely incredible production. It fills its 10 minute run-time to great benefit. 03. Starálfur Another gorgeous track. I have NO idea what the lyrics are talking about, but the song is so beautiful that I low-key don't care. 04. Flugufrelsarinn It took a few listens to understand this one; but when I did the song actually made me cry. Compliments the production immensely. 05. Ný Batterí The blow up of the production in the second half literally left my mouth open! Also some incredible lyrics, per usual. 06. Hjartað Hamast (Bamm Bamm Bamm) This track is qutie eerie to me; in a good way! The first half gave me chills. 07. Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása Unsetting throughout. The title alone is spooky, but pairing that with the music goes to another level. 08. Olsen Olsen Personal least favorite, but is still great! I really despise when people use faux-lyrics (such as this or Cocteau Twins), but the vocals are so in the background for this that I didn't mind it too much. 09. Ágætis Byrjun The title track, and my personal favorite from the album. Such a lush song, with some tear-jerking and beautiful lyrics. 10. Avalon A nice instrumental to cap off this ride of an album. Take a shot each time I wrote beautiful or a synonym of it.
That was certainly different. And incredible. This is evidently what you get by mixing ambient, prog, psychedelic and Icelandic together. I need more.
Den Gesang nicht zu verstehen hat den Fokus mehr auf die Emotion gepackt.
A soothing and otherworldly experience
ive heard this alien baby before
I like the alien
im scared
Started off strong, I knew this was described as post rock which is a genre I’ve dabbled in. But then it goes on and on and on and doesn’t really hit a different mood until the third to last track. A bit too mellow for my taste
What actually happened to Sigur Rós? I can still clearly remember a friend enthusiastically recommending "Ágætis Byrjun" to me at a record fair. He hailed them as the ‘Pink Floyd of the 21st century’ and described their sound as falling somewhere between Porcupine Tree and Godspeed! You Black Emperor. That sounded irresistible at the time. So I bought the CD. And what I heard was a strange, out-of-time brand of post-rock – modern, yet with unmistakable references to the sonic experiments of the progressive and psychedelic bands of the 1970s. It didn’t sound bad, but it didn’t quite strike a chord with me. It took a few listens before the album that defined Sigur Rós’s sound really clicked with me. Today, “Ágætis byrjun” is a post-rock classic and, all things considered, the only Sigur Rós album I’d recommend off the top of my head. The peculiar mix of unhurried music, Jónsi’s strange voice, the electric guitar played with a cello bow, and the mysterious language of the lyrics (here: mainly Icelandic, later the invented language Vonlenska) isn’t something you can or would want to listen to all the time, but today, on an early, cool autumn evening, the music and the mood go together perfectly. To answer the initial question: Sigur Rós are still active and are probably the most successful post-rock band of all time. I’ve lost track of them a bit. Perhaps it’s time to listen to their albums again and reassess them.
A beautifully gloomy walk through some awe inspiring sounds. Gets a bit slow at the end but makes for good vibe music
Love Sigur Rós - eerie and beautiful
Bland ass twilight soundtrack shit
Vibey, atmospheric and reflective. I liked it.
It's one of those albums that feels utterly transformative and transcendent for the time you're listening to it, but unlike a lot of other post-rock, none of it sticks with you. Apart from Ny Batteri - that shit SLAPS.
Pleasant chill listening
Excellent! The peak of electronic and atmospheric music.
too quiet no lyrics ☹️
It's not bad but it's kinda sleep-inducing.
atmospheric :-)
Not bad for background noise, but not positive I'll be returning.
Pas dutout mon style.
Musique d'ambiance, planant.
Those wacky Icelanders. The bad guys in 'Mighty Ducks 2' make some good, chill music. They create some wild soundscapes that are fit to be tied to indie movie trailers. This album gets a little much with the emo saccharine but the best songs raise it up. Top tracks: "Viðrar vel til loftárása," "Starálfur," "Ágætis byrjun"
“And the Heavens opened and revealed He who hath been named Jónsi”
EH
3.5 stars Incredible production. Very atmospheric. Most songs are very long but they’re easy to lose track of time to. Seems influential to Reznor and Ross film score output. Not knowing the lyrics might lower the emotional impact. Need to listen to this with an upgraded system. Tracks 1-3 all very enjoyable listen. Track 4 is the first underwhelming one 5 is ok 6-7: bangers, if possible for an atmospheric post rock album 8-9: underwhelming 10: nice little outro. Leaves you with a sense of foreboding
Achei cansativo e que todas as faixam tinham um o mesmo ritmo, algo bem repetitivo. Talvez eu que seja a chata??
Skoro sam zaspala od dosade. 2/5, 3/10
It’s beautiful actually, thought it might be generic background music but it’s lovely
I really enjoyed this, it is so innovative and interesting, very unique. Idk that I will return to it often (and it doesn’t beat out my favorite Icelander Bjork) but I’m glad to have listened to it as I know of the band but hadn’t engaged with them really.
Eu terminei esse álbum com a sensação de que agora tenho mais um “álbum conforto” para escutar. Impressiona como faixas de 10 minutos passam sem que a gente perceba, e de repente já ouviu três músicas depois. Gostei muito de saber que eles criaram uma língua só para “dialogar” com a sonoridade que queriam para a música. Senti um pouco de Low do Bowie, mas com uma pegada mais mística e envolvente. Fiquei viajando nessa sensação espacial que o álbum traz, como se fosse o “Major Tom” deles. Fiquei completamente surpreso ao perceber que a Islândia também é música, e não apenas um bom lugar para se conhecer!
I remember liking Sigur Ros a long way back, but this album was just fine for me.
I like that its different and interesting. Its not their best album though.
Very ethereal
That was delightfully weird. The strings? the sounds? I heard someone say it sounds like the norther lights. and that's exactly it. you know what? 9/10.
Some super rad chill tunes from Iceland. 3.4
This was a bit long, but matched my “elevated” brain pretty darn well today. Ethereal, beautiful, but needs a very specific headspace. 7/10 Quite Likeable
Great music. Definitely would explore more
So sad :(
Perfect for Friday morning journal-ling.
Really cool
I usually try to avoid the comments of others before I listen to these albums, but I had already been advised as to how good this album was before I actually heard it. So right now where is that apple cart? God I was awful! Sorry Chris, but it was the musical equivalent of blanc mange tastes and without substance. Now I like a fair bit of ambient music, but like all of my music, it has to have life, feeling or great lyrics. The lyrics were in foreign, not necessarily a bad thing, if they were performed with life or feeling, these weren't. Now credit where credit is due, the first 20 seconds of both track 6 and track 8 had real promise, as did the last 20 of track 8, but that is all. So sorry guys but this is a resounding 1.
I don’t think I own an album that is so different to my usual purchases, yet loved enough for a no brainer 5 star. The album absolutely demands your undivided attention when listening, and when you do that it is a totally immersive experience. A complete assault on the senses. There is a vast array of instruments and playing styles. Not sure how to describe the vocals, as when layered on to that soundtrack the result is something from a different planet. Haunting and beautiful. This album was a fairly big reason behind me wanting to go to Iceland and it feels like the perfect soundtrack to the dramatic and breathtaking wilderness that we explored there.
I really should find more time to listen to Sigur Rós. I have this and Takk in my collection and I have rarely played either. So I sat myself down to listen to this and really concentrate on it for once. It was worth doing as by 'Good Weather For Airstrikes' I was in tears. Only rarely does this happen. This album is so beautiful and moving with its string arrangements, haunting piano, helped along by the guitarist using a cello bow to amazing effect. The mood and atmosphere created by this band immersed me in feelings of desolation and beauty much like Iceland where this originated. I am looking forward to rediscovering their back catalogue.
Kurac
4 Ambient and symphonic. First introduction to post-rock.
Beautiful, need better lyric translations lol
Didn’t have time to listen to all of it, but what I did listen to felt rather out of this world
This music makes me feel cold and warm at the same time. Absolutely breathtaking.
Listening to this album felt like getting whisked away into an ethereal world or a liminal space where your life is flashing before your eyes in a beautiful kind of way. My only complaint is that the album felt a bit long. The nostalgiac/disonant/floaty music kept me in a melancholic, emotional place and the layering of instrumentation kept my attention. Favorite Tracks: Svefn-g-englar Flugufrelsarinn Ny Batteri Olsen Olsen Agaetis Byrjun
Sigur Ros, along with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, are kind of considered the two giants of the post-rock movement, particularly the ambient "crescendo-core" strain. While I am quite familiar with GY!BE, my familiarity with Sigur Ros basically consisted of one listen to this album 4 years ago, which I thought was good, but never came back to it. Now that I have become more familiar with post-rock (and even made some myself), I find myself really appreciating Agaetis Byrjun in a way I didn't before. Sigur Ros have a singular, sui generis method of building huge, orchestral, choral, and beautiful soundscapes. Although many artists have attempted to replicate this, it can't be done. Additionally, they invented a new language for a couple of the songs here (although the rest is just Icelandic). 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4 (since it drags on a bit long). Favs: Svefn-g-englar Ny Batteri Olsen Olsen Least Fav: Avalon
No me parece digno de una lista de discos imprescindibles.
This shit went hard af on mute!
Really easy to listen to!
weird but nice. reminded me of low roar, i think this would have fit nicely in the death stranding soundtrack.
This is not what I thought Sigur Ros sounded like at all. I thought they were more of a loud rock band type of sound, not Radiohead mixed with Muse mixed with Bjork if she were a man mixed with Beach House...I'm probably not even describing them correctly. I wish I knew what he was saying but the first song translates to Sleepwalking Angel and given the fact the song is very quiet and lasts for 10 minutes, it is an aptly named track. I will workout to my album of the day every once in a while, but I am very glad I did not do that today. This is very, very, very soft and should not be listened to when doing anything that requires movement. I could be convinced this one deserves a spot in the book but I don't know if I could listen to this on a regular basis. The first reason is I really don't know what he is singing about and lyrics are somewhat important to me. The second reason is if an album doesn't have great lyrics, if the music is still very good then I can enjoy an album. The music is good but it's just slooooooooooooooooooooooooow. It picks up at times, granted, but mostly it's just slow. Also, the songs are very long. I see rave reviews of Sigur Ros and I think it turns out this just isn't the music for me.
This is definitely an album you should listen to for it's uniqueness and the mood it creates. This album was created by this Icelandic band in 1999. It can be described as ambient dark post-rock with symphonic elements. It's really hard to describe them. The singer has a high/falsetto voice that sings and plays guitar with a cello that creates an intense sustained sound. There is also piano and symphonic strings and horns. There are also other miscellaneous sounds that create to the mood that is soothing and unsettling at the same time. Some songs are more intense with the guitar but still ambient. Others have more of the symphonic sound. The songs start generally subdued and build. Top songs for me are Svefn-g-englar and Flugufrelsarinn although all songs are good and flow.
Weirdly nice music 👍
Great atmospheric music, but I need to be in the mood for it.
Some good songs. Maybe a bit long.
Truly heartbreaking and mind blowing
Very interesting, but I'm personally not super big on droney ambient music a lot of the time.
Not for me… Ich kann leider keinen song auswaehlen, welcher mir gefällt. Sorry
Not for me. Maybe in the background while writing…
1) Viðrar vel til loftárása 2) Svefn-g-englar 3) Ný batterí Least Favourite: None.
I didn’t understand what the fuck this was about and yet it was still moving. I really enjoyed this one.
Great for any situation. Working, flying, relaxing, driving. Just flies by but keeps you engaged.
Crazy that they made up their own fake language - "Icelandic" they call it. Doesn't sound very realistic to me but I guess that's what the little angel alien fetus on the cover would sound like. So good - really ambitious and has these incredible builds that actually have a payoff. Incredible what they do with guitar feedback as the lead instrument. Of course Svefn-g-englar is great, but Flugufrelsarinn has this ecstatic chorus that could be a big Broadway number. So important to not translate the lyrics it ruins their mystique - "But today, I must save the most flies possible" is not what I feel when I hear the Flugufrelsarinn chorus.
Overall: 10/10 I was really scared to get this album for a long time. I'd heard that it can be a very challenging listen, especially with the apparently made up language and long tracks. I don't think I really had anything to be afraid of, cause this is one of the most original, beautiful albums I've ever heard in my life. First of all, the two things that scared me about listening to this ended up being my two favourite elements of the album. The gibberish adds an almost alien-like atmosphere to the album, especially with the occasional phrases that resemble english. There were times where I felt like I knew exactly what they were saying even though it wasn't anything. I also think the long tracks were perfect for this type of music. It's so ethereal and calming and beautiful and having the tracks go on long tangents made you feel the atmosphere even more. I was actually dissapointed when I checked the song length and it didn't cross the 10 minute mark. I 100% think this is one of the best albums I've ever heard in my life. Everyone on the planet should listen to this because it's so creative and beautiful. This is true art. (I'm reading that the lyrics are just Icelandic but I like the idea that it's just a new language better.) Fav Song: Flugufrelsarinn
Soooooo sleepy. Pleasant in places but it’s fundamentally background music.
I mean there never wasn't I time I didn't respect the massive contribution of Sigur Ros. Composition, lyrical mysticism, melodic elements, use of instruments that don't neccessary belong in its "genre", and of course production value. Can't dispute anything above 4 stars. I didn't understand the words, but the album made me feel nostalgic and yet also full of youthful glee. This is worth every ounce of attention is require to listen. I want this on vinyl. Over to discogs i guess.
Expansive and emotive sound. Very post rock, and at times hard to not feel. Strange given it's not in any particular language. Slightly too long in some points, but an album to listen to when you have time.
This is extremely extremely close to a 5... if it wasn't for one of the songs that I really didn't like. Forgot its name.
Ethereal
хорошая музыка, но я такое не слушаю
nice
Monday, 24 August, 2026 Icelandic melodrama. They have some amazing soundscapes, melodies, and performances. But at 70 minutes, it’s too much.
The next time I'm getting stoned in a planetarium, I'll fire this one up. Until then, I'll pass.
A great album to have on in the background while doing things.
Two things that caught my attention "bowed" and "guitar". TIL. It's beautiful.
Better than I expected. Not really for me but interesting. I'd say 6.1/10
5/10
7.5/10
Este álbum te invita a trascender, a simplemente estar presente en el momento, apreciando lo que se escucha, lo que se siente, lo que se vive El álbum del grupo islandés rompe con la barrera del idioma y cala en personas de muchísimas partes, algo que es aún más difícil cuando el lenguaje del disco no es inglés Instrumentales nítidos, muy bien ejecutados, le dan mucha profundidad emocional al álbum Lo recomiendo para contemplar al horizonte por la noche o en un paraje natural recóndito Excelente álbum
Perfect for a long train journey. A musical odyssey
Despite thinking that the first track was being played backwards, I melted into this album. Very atmospheric
This was great. You can almost feel the Icelandic landscape surrounding you. Helped by the decision to sing the lyrics in Icelandic. A rare 4* for a first listen.
Loved the atmosphere. Great songs were great, but I hated the songs that weren't great.
nice so so wouldn't reach for it
Beyond words and praise.
Wow. So not good.
Very good content and mecodies partly good to get down on hard days etc.
1/5 Unavailable on my country, I don't believe in boycotting.
Never got my juices flowing. Subjectively cool though. Belongs here.
Sounds great front to back. A little overly mellow for me to rate it a 5/5 though.
It's certainly beautiful, however not enough for me to listen to the whole thing. Never really got into post-rock stuff, which is a real shame because I've heard such good things. The only track that got any real emotion out of me though was Staralfur, mainly because of its use in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Brilliant film, fine album.
Perfectly pleasant to listen too (if rather long and sometimes tedious) but I’m not sure why it’s in the list. Possibly the lyrics are profound if you translate the Icelandic. Lost on me.
Well made. Radiohead-like, but not quite as complex. I kept going between 2 or 3 as I didn't dig it too much, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Post rock essential, feels like floating in a warm sensory tank (probably) Somewhat peaks early with the first few tracks, but Olsen Olsen is pure catharsis towards the end, and is a proper album experience imo, totally singular sound. The bow on the guitar creates this immense towering drone which is such a hallmark, adds to a phenomenal crescendo with the strings and drums at the end of Viorar, which really really stood out to me this time as one of the main highlights of the album where previously I’d dismissed it
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did but I’m not sure it went far enough on the same sound It was good though, very easy listening, probably will still be back to this at some point 3.5
Jag är besviken. Har ändå lyssnat en del på ett par av deras andra plattor och gillat det mycket. Vi spelade lite Sigur ros på folkis och det var så jäkla kul musik att spela. Därav gick jag in med ganska höga förväntningar. Det är inte dåligt men jag ville att det skulle vara toppen.
Mäktigt och gudalikt i lurar. Hobbitalverna har ett vackert språk
Sorry island men det här var ett piller, av den sömniga sorten!
sagokent
Kanske om jag låg i en varm isländsk källa
simultaneously otherworldly while also matching the natural speed of glaciers moving and the wind sweeping across the earth. it's impossible not to be carried away by songs like "Svefn-G-Englar" and "Olsen Olsen". there's so much beauty and mystery and joy in these songs. that EBowed guitar holds so much power, especially combined with Jónsi's sustained hopelandic vowel sounds. I'm pretty sure that listening to this a lot in high school prepped my mind to enjoy vocals that aren't tethered to a defined language. if you haven't seen the film "Heima" from 2007, it's essential -- for the striking footage of Iceland and its inhabitants as well as the insight into the musical development process of the band. and any chance to catch Sigur Ros live should be taken.
Epic, beautiful, transcendent, all that stuff.
Wonderfully melancholic
Ambient and still full of distorted heavy texture. No idea what was going on lyrically but that didn’t matter. It was an enjoyable soundtrack to a day.
Now we are freezing cold on the glaciers in the Iceland somewhere. And loving it.
Es ist schon gut Musik, aber war nicht in der Stimmung dafür 3.4
3,7 Highlights: Hjartad Hamast (Bamm Bamm Bamm), Olsen Olsen
Peak post-rock (GY!BE is also peak post-rock)
Vardaan will not be happy about the average song length on here when he gets to it in 5 years
Who dis?
This was an amazing journey turned up loud I didn't want to end. (Review copied from my other group.)
i have no idea what theyre saying but it soudns really cool good production and stuff.
It certainly was a Good Beginning for me, after always being interested to hear this band, this is my first album. The vocals are sublime, the melody interesting, the use of an orchestra was like a fresh breeze. It is so well produced it is like the music is swirling in my brain. Only down point for me is because I don’t speak Icelandic, I have no idea what are the actual lyrics and at what point they are just speaking their unique blend of gibberish. One to buy.
Great album, hard to give it 5 though because I don't understand a word
The perfect music for a trip down memory lane (my life in Germany, specifically, but also all the people I've known if only briefly and the cats esp. Nigel my orange boy/best friend in my last years before returning to the states). Yes, the perfect music for memories and wistfulness. 4 "music for rembrance" stars.
This album feels much more modern than 1999! It's aged extremely well. It doesn't bother me that I don't understand Icelandic, if anything it adds to the experience. Superbly done, this is exactly the kind of album I expected to experience by doing this project. An album I never would have heard otherwise, by a band I'd never heard of, in a language I do not speak, from a country I've never been to! I really love the atmosphere this album creates. Even though I'm listening to this in 90 degree weather, I felt a chill during some of the sweeping climbs in the songs. I really feel the emotion of the words even if I don't understand them. I would definitely listen to this again.
Beautiful music that I'll probably listen to again soon, main thing against would be needing the time for the full album and not really being able to pick out individual songs yet
As a Godspeed You! Black Emperor fan, one can expect to be Recommended-If-You-Like'd the full Mt. Rushmore of post-rock acts of the turn of the 21st Century: Explosions In The Sky, Swans, possibly Mogwai and definitely Sigur Rós. And I got nowhere with any of them. A lot of pretentious nonsense. There's just nobody who does what Godspeed does anywhere near as well as Godspeed. That said, I possibly didn't give any of them a fair enough crack. So here I am, giving Sigur Rós a fair crack of the whip, and I'm prepared to admit I was too hasty. This is a lovely record, full of beauty, tension and, of course, a large helping of pretention. I actually thought it was fair enough to not understand Icelandic but apparently these tossers went one further and wrote lots of songs in a made-up nonsense language, called 'Hopelandic'. Listen, I've never been a lyrics-first guy so it's easy to get away with singing nonsense to me, and maybe I should actually be more tolerant of openly nonsensical lyrics, than artists who make out like they're writing poetic metaphors when they're just singing guff that rhymes (champagne supernova anyone?) But I feel this is a dangerously blatant red flag for pretentiousness. I won't deny that I thoroughly enjoyed this album and will definitely listen to it again, but I probably give it five stars if it's totally instrumental.
good noises
I appreciate this for what it was, but I didn't enjoy the listening part. 4/10
392/1089 the build up of Hjartað hamast leading into the strings and staticky ending ohmygod A Sigur Rós x Phoebe Bridgers collab would go INSANE Veðrar Vel til Loftárása had me tearing up, that was beautiful i knew i’d love this album, Icelandic is such a perfect language for this type of indie chamber pop vibes. also reminded me a bit of Low Roar who also had major Icelandic influences faves: Veðrar Vel til Loftárása, Hjartað Hamast 87/100
Prachtig. Kan er geen reet van verstaan, maar: prachtig.
Dit is zo consistent schitterend, echt een waanzinnig mooie plaat. Jammer dat () niet op de lijst staat, dat is stiekem mijn favoriete Sigur Ros, maar deze krijgt ook een gemakkelijke 5 sterren van me.
4/5
It was fun to be 18 when this came out. Back in 2001 it was very hard to find any info on the internet. I didn’t have dial up, but artists didn’t have websites, there was no google, searching for fan sites was tough. Listening to this album was like listening to aliens in their language playing their instruments. It was the most unique experience I’ve ever felt, and it got crazier with their next album where Jonsi sang in his own language. This album is as close to perfect as you can get; every song is a trip. The piano on Staralfur, the drumming on Ny Batery, everying from the closing track, and don’t get me started either Olsen Olsen, the bass line that leads you to the wonderful flute solo into the orchestration in the end, amazing. One of those albums you wish you could forget to discover and obsess about it all over again.
No.
This album changed my life by making me feel like I had a window into another life unlived. It’s a unique, uncanny album.
I don’t understand a word being sung (and some of the lyrics are in fact legit gibberish), but it doesn’t matter. This is true art. A beautiful and surprisingly varied album that earns its full hour.
What did I just listen to? This is like nothing I've heard before and I like it. It's mellow. Sigur Rós take their time creating beautiful soundscapes that take you to unexpected places. I just wish I knew what they were talking about. (I guess I should look up translation, if it exists!) Liked Songs Added: Svefn-G-Englar Agætis Byrjun
Worthless
I vibed with like most of this. It got boring in the middle but ive never listened to an ambient noise album before and i thought it was at least new and interesting! Some of those sounds were certainly ambient. I saved two songs, svefn-g-englar and olsen olsen (really just for the brass moment in the middle)
I could have died without listening to this.
I already knew the band's name. At first, I couldn't place it. Later, I found their album *Takk* in my collection. I find parts of this album quite interesting, but at times its mystical, ethereal murmurings get on my nerves. Maybe I need to listen to it again. 3/5
What the fuck have i stumbled across. Trancendental. Perfect. 5/5
Just a collection of Scandinavian screeching. Some quite nice vocals but it comes together quite weirdly
Yay Sigur Ros!
Ethereal and cosmic
I appreciated how different this was; this is the kind of album I was hoping to get exposed to with this list. Atmospheric, melancholic ambient music. Would be perfect for a low mood, gloomy day. (4)
mesmerizing
very ambient, atmospheric, love it
I thought I would like it more. But I did not.
Very immersive and unusual. This is definitely a Me type album. I found it very beautiful, though I wish I knew what the singer was saying. I think that woulda made it better.
Pretty Legion Jeff Russo coded. Instrumental was a yes. Lyrics or so, not so much. Cool for soundtrack of a mind-related TV show, probably.
Interesting
que linda jornada
dit is shoegaze toch? ik ben neit van ambient muziek, et is wel beter dan andere shoegaze die ik heb gehoord, dit is gwn nog chill ofz
mega mega goed
3.5 stars
It's pretty good, but do not listen while working or driving. It's from the " Music to Sleep to" catalogue.
Has the song used in Life Aquatic. Automatic great album.
Sum boo shit. DNF..
Always intrigued by Sigur but never listened to it. This was nice
Ethereal, feel like I'm on a voyage across the oceans
One of the most beautiful and unique albums ever made. Playing this in the car whilst driving the Iceland ring road is bucket list for me.
Tää oli hivenen liian ambienttiä ja erikoista mun makuuni.
Took two listens, but this is a beautiful piece of media.
*I really want to like Icelandic music because I pretty much love everything else about Icelandic culture...BUT....I just can't get into this. *It's beautiful at times, but I just can't see myself wanting to listen to this or music like it more than once.
One of my favourites
L'ambient così è solo lento e noioso.
Very dreamy. If I'm in the mood for ethereal, I'd go for the Cocteau Twins instead of this. It's fine. It's just not doing it for me at the moment.
insano
Love them!
Lovely.
Around the time this came out, the website Audiogalaxy featured “Svefn-g-englar.” It may have been a free (legal) download. But I know that was my first exposure to this band, which has become one of my favorites and one of the best concerts I’ve attended. I probably prefer ( ) to this album, but those two are my favorites.
Un disco muy etéreo y relajante. Por momentos se puede volver aburrido ya que llega a ser demasiado largo y aburrido.
Intro - 2 Svefn-g-englar - 2 Staralfur - 2 Flugufrelsarinn - 3 Ny batteri - 2 Hjartao hamast (bamm bamm bamm) - 2 Viorar vel til loftarasa - 2 Olsen olsen - 2 Agaetis byrjun - 3 Avalon - 3
It’s to talk about music like this. Sigur Rós was a find from almost 20 years ago, and although my listening has varied over the years, my appreciation has not. Their music is wonderfully evocative, and this album is one of the best examples of that. So glad to see this show up on the list.
While I don't listen to this record often, more like rarely. I do remember listening to it quite a bit when it was released. I was reminded how much I enjoyed this.
Some of these albums are less like albums and more like time machines for me. This one takes me back to my senior year of college. Some of my close friends had gotten into collecting vinyl records and setting up their turntables again, and I had followed suit. I ended up hearing about this new band, Sigur Ros, because I had fallen in love with Scandinavian bands over the previous couple of years. I found this album on vinyl somehow, and I have this distinct memory of throwing this record on having never heard it before, turning off all the lights in the living room, laying down on the couch, closing my eyes, and just enjoying the music, and only the music, for the entire run time. It was magical. And it still is. The sweeping soundscapes created by the bowed electric guitar and keyboards are otherworldly. I have no idea what he's singing about, but the vocalist is incredible- dreamy but strong. The production is immaculate. I love it. My favorite moment is the climax of "Vidrar vel til loftarasa"..... that's worth the price of admission alone. One of the easiest perfect scores I'll give. FIVE STARS
3 - decent but probably wouldn’t listen to again
This is like music deconstructed. Some very pretty stuff, but ultimately I prefer more oomph.
I liked and bought this album at the time. Still like it now, but it does take some commitment to listen to it. The music is an ambient soundscape, though I’m a bit less taken in by the nonsense lyrics that I used to be.
This started strong. Track 2 is great. But it really descends into a lot of the Radiohead type stuff that drives me a little nuts towards the end. Although to their credit it seems like they were doing this before Radiohead really made it their entire sound.
Listened to this on the bus in a torrential rainstorm, which I think is probably how it’s meant to be listened to. The outside was all blackened, and it felt much more passive than it should’ve, all due to the cooing of Jónsi’s vocals on “Svefn-g-englar,” the album’s clear high point. A 10-minute song about birthing through a child’s eyes, especially with that cover art, is pretty perfect. Sadly, past that song it is pretty hard to tell whether I am getting a truly transformative experience out of this album or if I’m getting pretty falsetto and ethereal guitars. It really is up to the listener to assign meaning to any piece of music, but this makes it especially hard, when it is so universally acclaimed, but it doesn’t sound much more than pretty. It isn’t experimental, at least not particularly, though its use of electric guitar and cello bows is at least interesting, it isn’t really political, at least not outwardly or obviously, and it’s not influential, at least not mainly. It’s just really pretty, with one phenomenal song on there, and a couple of other great songs too (see: “Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)” and the title track). I love it, surely, but I feel compelled to look at it with some suspicion. 9.0/10
I liked this album a lot around the time I was 18 (though not as much as the parentheses album). I thought it was "experimental," and it helped introduce me to post-rock, for which I am thankful. Sigur Rós can be quite "cinematic" when you're 18 and listening on headphones while you walk around on a rainy fall day. On relisten, though, it is maybe a bit too glossy and schmaltzy for me; it may be slightly unusual, but it's all a bit too clean and smooth, and I now hear a zillion movie/TV syncs that sound similar to this style of epic melodrama.
hay algo bastante conmovedor en escuchar otro idioma y no entender nada pero que te genere algo igual. re viajero, es para un mood contemplativo, dejarse llevar por la música. te quiero todo sabes
flashero mal lo banque
Eraserhead baby made this. Hauntingly beautiful tho
Eerie and pretty like a sunset that’s the wrong color
Either I don’t get it, or … Idk, it’s like it tries to go for hauntingly beautiful but it’s not quite that
Funky, beautiful and a little haunting
That was solid I liked the vibe. The 10min track after the intro hit the hardest
As many times as I've gotten baked and listened to Staralfur over the last 20 years when was the last time I listened to the whole album?? Beautiful! Is this the first album I've been able to listen to from my library? Olsen Olsen, also a favorite.
Songs too long Some nice orchestrations Can't judge the lyrics because they're Icelandic Ny Batterí is a highlight
I wasn’t in a great mood for this one, and with an album this slow that was never going to be a great context. If this album was any slower it would play backwards, with this a typically ornate ‘post-rock’ album of this period. I’m sure they all thought they were really clever with their ten minute songs and range of instruments, perhaps they headed off to a nice Icelandic hot springs or ice cave to congratulate themselves. But to me, this kind of music is just so pretentious and dull.
One of the more famous post-rock albums, featuring lots of strings and bowed guitar to create a dreamy, ambient sound. I could see this working well as background/reading music, but it made very little impact on me, and I can remember almost nothing about it less than a day after listening. To be fair, sections of some tracks were quite beautiful, but the whole thing was so slow I didn’t find it was really worth the patience to get to them. Hard to rate; it is a bit harsh but I can’t see myself listening again, hence 2 stars.
Sigur Rós at Massey Hall in 2001 was the first time I smoked weed before a concert. A top 10 concert-going experience, melting into my seat to Svefn-g-englar.
Slow and dreamy. The "childish" vocals at times were a bit off-putting.
Apaisant
spannend.
Wenn man Zeit hat...
Didn't like...
Already listened, great album.
i feel very settled
Atmospheric, kinda rock, enjoyed more than I expected
3/10
Peak mood
Atmospheric, calming, and a little out there. The vocals throw me off at times, but I still think it’s a cool album. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: Svefn-g-englar
⭐⭐⭐ Det är stämningsfullt och fint. Jag kan lyssna på albumet men mitt problem är att jag inte blir så engagerad, det beror nog på att texten är på ett låtssspråk och att spåren flyter ihop. Med lite tid skulle jag nog kunna lära mig att uppskatta det mer, det påminner lite om Radiohead.Det blir en 3a. Bäst är Starálfur
This was atmospheric and lovely, but also kind of not for me. I may never listen to it again, but I had an enjoyable experience with it.
6/10… indie / ambient / *2000
Before this listen, all I knew about Sigur Rós is that they’re that band that made up their own language. A couple songs in and I had high hopes, energized by the blissful “Svefn-g-englar.” Unfortunately, I found much of the remaining tracks to be a bit repetitive and had trouble immersing myself in the experience. Maybe it would help if I knew any Hopelandic.
Slightly familiar with Sigur Rós, I knew what I was getting into but was still left underwhelmed. The concept of the band is cool (made up language/vocalizations) but this album was kind of boring when comparing it to their later stuff. I wish I had heard it in 99 so I wouldn't be thinking ahead. I would probably return to this album at a specific place and time, but it would be an oddly specific place and time.
Sigur Ros and their twisty, dreamy melodies. Good stuff.
Very boring and dreary and uninteresting.
Relaxing
Oooooh I didn't know this one!! Absolute experience to listen to. Hard to describe - this pulls me right out of the world.
This band is a special gift. The most memorable live performance I've ever seen is this band. I saw them with my sister ( it was right after Kveikur came out so 2013ish). From the moment they started playing, we didn't move. We didn't leave our seats, we didn't say a single word to each other, our gazes never left the stage below. Sometimes tears fell on our cheeks. After it ended, we rose and silently made our way through the crowds and out of the venue, still utterly mesmerized. Eventually we came to. Untitled #8/Popplagið is the most epic ending to a concert you will ever see.
Good for studying
Very interesting for sure Strings in staràlfur were really cool and good I wanted to like this album a lot more than I did It’s jus really long and not always super entertaining cool cover though Favorites: staràlfur, Svefn-g-engular 3 maybe 3.5/5
It was really nice to listen to while lying on the beach reading. It would be more of an issue if I was cooking or exercising. Good in specific scenarios then. But not all.
Lowkey perfection.
How do I type this into a search bar?
I own this on vinyl. Have listened to it many times.
Good. Gets a bit long.
Reminds me of Outer Wilds
Very spacey, pretty to listen to
i’ve heard this :)
Ts was ethereal on my soul.
Not for me
Ethereal. Cool.
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about this whole record made me incredibly anxious and uneasy. There are parts of incredible beauty. But the vibe of the music always feels sinister as well. Like a musical equivalent of Midsommar. The album cover certainly didn’t help. Overall, a very intense listen.
its not unheard of for my mood of the day and my album of the day to line up so well that i listen to the album twice in a row but it usually happens with shorter, punchier records than this one. this has never quite crossed the threshold to being one of my very favorite albums , but much like my personal history with dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, its an album that for Ten Years has remained exactly the same amount of good in exactly the same way through all my tumultuous twists and turns in my music journey. and i do find myself appreciating it more and more holistically as time goes on...when i was a teen i almost exclusively just remembered the sweeter, more direct moments, but ive rly grown into the more emotionally ambiguous atmospheric stretches too. idk if this is my fave of theirs, i find the overall structure of the untitled pretty irresistible, but of the ones i know this is almost certainly the most bulletproof Track For Track quality. some of it still makes me shiver.
para un viaje a una isla desierta
Very good 😎
Better now than it was on release as it's not stuck in the mire of the surrounding post rock releases. Powerful and beautiful. All Sigur Ros tracks have been played out thanks to advertising and radio/TV bed tracks but as an album experience they're still charming
Love it , all their stuff is great
Listening to this album feels like your best friend embracing you and them telling you how life is pain, but how life also is so much beauty and happiness if we let it reach us.
This was decent. Not really my thing but pleasant enough.
Like a soft, ambient rock. Normally I like stuff like this, but it was just a bit too drawn out for me.
Bien.
DNF. too boring.
I saw Sigur Ros play Red Rocks about 15 years ago and the audience was bored out of their minds. This is a vibe band -- not a show band. their sound is weird and cinematic and you've got to be in the mood for it. But man when you want to walk through life like the end credits of a movie, there's no better music to score that scene.
Not for me
The first time I heard "Svefn-g-englar" was an almost transcendent experience. (I still can't believe it's been over two decades...)
Not a fan, but this had a huge impact when released. I saw them live and they were fantastic,
this is what I want to SEEEEEE, people! thankful for discovering this through this list.
A band I’ve known about but never teally spent any time getting to know. Very interesting record, feels a bit like Massive Attack but more ethereal and shrouded in Nordic mysticism. Very enjoyable.
I'm pretty sure I've heard this album before. I listen to a lot of post-rock, but somehow Sigur Ros just doesn't do it for me. I like my post-rock to be more rockin' and this is all pretty sleepy.
Take a good album and play it through a speaker in the bottom of a pool that has a thin layer of ice one it, and you’ll have a good idea of what this album Is like.
Feels like a spa treatment prescribed by the Icelandic tourism board. Dreamy, glacial, atmospheric, and somehow faintly reindeer-scented; it transported me straight back to the Blue Lagoon with snow falling and a beer in hand. Three stars. Four if you hand me a robe, a mud mask, and a flight to Reykjavík.
Absolutely love this album. Saw htis group live and it was a meditative experience.
I got into this band thanks to a metalhead I knew at college We didn't have much crossover in bands we liked but he lent me this and the second ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, quite liked the Trail of Dead record but the Sugur Ros just blew me away. It was so ethereal and calming and very soothing if you are going through a stressful or difficult time. Jonsi's voice is wonderful and I love the whole concept of singing in a made up language which sounds close enough to English that you can't put your own interpretation into what he might actually be singing or you can just let the soundscapes wrap around you. I can't remember what I lent him in return at the time but I suspect I got the better of this particular cultural exchange. Favourite track - Svefn-g-englar.
Feels very grand, a vibe, not my vibe tho
Very mellow
I always feel like I’ve lived the entire lifecycle of some magical being whenever I listen to Sigur Rós and I love every fucking second of it.
Oddly calming and soothing, there’s an ethereal quality to the music but nothing stood out to me as anything special or whatsoever. Love me some ambience music but couldn’t really get into this one.
This was a cool album. I would have never listened on my own. It felt well polished, and even though I didn't understand any lyrics, it was an enjoyable listen. I might put it on as background music again.
I liked a lot about this album. It maybe got a little boring at times, but it was good.
Unoriginal
This album gave me an overwhelming sense of how temporary I am. It felt to me like being in the deepest ocean or the darkest sky or the stroniest winds; it almost sounded celestial. There were multiple times I had to stop and just think to take it in. Overall it’s probably a 4.5 but I like the uniqueness and Hjartao Hamast too much.
This one surprised me!! Staralfur was my favorite.
The production is insane, the instrumentation is lush, the tones are just incredible. Both soothing and powerful. A masterclass.
You only get two options with Iceland music. Catchy genius or weird shit. This falls into the second category. Eclectic soundscapes. I didn’t hate it but not an easy listen.
They have such a nice sound. It's not my favorite thing I've EVER heard, but I fully enjoyed having it on
Hearing the first few tracks brought tears to my eyes while flying back from a funeral. Not just because they're beautiful song, but I forgot how such bright music can come with dark memories. I learned about Sigur Rós from a colleague, Geoff, who had a much different taste in music than me. I quickly grew to appreciate their music and would listen to it regularly while working from home. This album was the last albums my dog, Lula, and I listened to together. A sweet, 50 pound bundle of love, she was rescued from the streets of Puerto Rico and came to my wife and me when our lives were just starting together. She didn't know any English or Spanish, but she knew how to love. One week while Sarah was traveling Lula got sick and didn't have much energy to go for a walk or eat her kibble. It also being a dreary Monday in Fall, Sigur Rós fit the feeling of the day. As Lula slept under my work desk the sounds from this album played through my computer speakers in hopes to give her some sonic healing to get through her lethargy. Later, I cooked some rice and chicken to get her some nutrition which she seemed to enjoy based solely on her habits with people food. With her condition not improving through the night, I took her to the emergency veterinarian where she was diagnosed with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. After two blood transfusions and 36 hours in vet care, we had to put her down as her immune system was too strong for her own blood. On a sunny, Wednesday morning I had to say goodbye to the Sato that changed our lives. She'll always have a place in the sun. This album reminded me of much of the regret, sadness, and questions I still ask: "was there something more I could have done?" Regardless of the true answer to that, we cherish every memory of her and others gone too soon finding ourselves lucky to have the memories to begin with. This album also reminds me how we can defer our love from those of our past to those of our present and future to know that we gave our loved ones the best life we could have.
i don't hate the vocals but i like the instrumentals so much that i wish the vocals weren't there 3 songs left and i'm pretty ready for this to be over maybe if i was on a roadtrip and not stuck in the office this would be higher
still blows my mind that for an album where i dont understand a single word, it can still move me to the verge of tears all the way back to the top of the mountain. all of the noise just disappearing from my head when listening, really made me focus on the incredible soundscape and the emotions the singers are portraying. an incredible journey, to say the least.
Once, I loved this album… Always thought the album cover embryonic angel was… more than “cool.” It’s just about perfect album art. My brother made fun of me for being obsessed with an album whose lyrics I couldn’t understand. I think I did find out that Agaetis Byrjun meant “A Good Beginning.” A good beginning indeed. Yes. Time has not blunted how beautiful and moving I find this whole album, cover to cover. So very glad this exercise got me to listen to the whole again. 5 Boolean: True
Gorgeous Post Punk LoFi instrumental at some parts
Very atmospheric and experimental. Definitely inspired by Radiohead, vocally at least. 3.4/5.0
Generally speaking, if a band's name includes letter or symbols I can't type on a standard keyboard, it is not going to be highly rated. Come on with the long ass songs! It's in Icelandic? Post-rock? Dream pop? These genres exist to justify music critic jobs. As a "soundscape" I have listened to less good albums, as a popular music album, I don't love it. This is like the background music to an HBO prestige drama. I get why Radiohead loves these guys. This is so low key as to be sedative. They sing in a made up language...my god, these dudes must absolutely adore the smell of their own farts.
For me, it’s an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. The combination of orchestral arrangements and electronic influences is top-notch, and the overall vibe just feels perfectly right. It plays like a brilliant blend of Pink Floyd and Radiohead. 5/5.
Highlights: Svefn-g-englar,
Icelandic music must be an acquired taste, if you can call what I just listened to music. What is up with the dead baby fetus cover? A few of the tunes have interesting melody bass lines, which keeps it from being a 1 star, but barely.
I am sure that if I were a slightly different person, I would enjoy it because it has all the elements that I typically enjoy. But the way the band put it together simply grates me.
First of all, I love Icelandic music, literature, and the Icelandic language, so I was genuinely excited when this album appeared in my recommendations one morning. I went into it expecting to love it. The opening immediately caught my attention with its eerie, atmospheric soundscapes and unique sense of space. It felt mysterious and promising, and I was intrigued by where it was going. Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last. While the first part of the album drew me in, the second half gradually lost my interest. The songs began to blur together, and what initially felt immersive eventually became repetitive and emotionally static. I kept waiting for a moment that would re-engage me, but it never quite arrived. I can absolutely appreciate the craftsmanship, the haunting ambience, the beautiful use of Jónsi's falsetto, and the cinematic production. It's easy to understand why this album is so highly regarded and influential. However, despite respecting what it achieves artistically, it simply didn't connect with me on a personal level. I wanted to like it much more than I actually did.
Sleepy eepy, wel mooi ergens
ethereal, slow, calm, icelandic. like no mans sky
Takie 2. Niby fajne, ale nie na ten klimat.
As an ignorant America the lyrics were lost on me but the songs sounded nice, zen, if you will
О! Це круті чуваки) Я їх знаю)
Just because it’s in another language doesn’t make it any good.
Beautifully produced, but not really my style. Very cohesive aesthetic. There are some extremely pretty moments on this record, and a few I felt like they compromised to maintain more recognizable structure like hooks and straight drum beats.