Ágætis Byrjun

very very cool album

Wow, this was an amazingly beautiful album. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in since it’s Icelandic, but by the end I realized post rock might be one of my favorite genres of music.

scandinavian garbage jk its just lame and boring

for me its boring and the songs sound too similar

This one's hard to rate. I think objectively it was a great album, but it was very hard for me to just get into it. By the time I did the album was almost over.

Not my favorite post rock but still good

This has been a really great album, Granted not all of the songs in it hit me as hard as some of my favorites here, But Man! It's a solid one. Would listen to it again Makes wanna find more of this bands discography. I really like Staráful for it's beautifull piano, and overall composition, everything sounds very gracefull alongside the vocals. It's overall incredible powerfull sounding

586/1001 2026.04.06 😴😴🌑🌑🌑

Actually, this was a pretty chill album and although the names of everything were a bit confusing, since it's Icelanding, it was overall quite nice leaving the album playing in the background. The band seems to be a rock one, but I would say that the whole experience was too chill for a rock album.

spacy good for a rainy day drive

Albums like this are what makes this challenge worthwhile for me. I would have never discovered this otherwise. It was very beautiful and atmospheric. I felt like I was listening to a movie soundtrack.

In a lot of ways it is beautiful. Its immersive, emotional and brings you into this whole universe that is created. But for me it is just a little to crushing in weight. Everything feels heavy and after a while like a burden and swimming in an weightless world I am never going to get out of. Songs 7-9 gave me a reprieve that I really needed from the heavy feeling of the rest of the album. I had a hard time also deciphering between songs and feeling different emotions during the album, it all felt very one note and somewhat suffocating while also beautiful.

This is a classic. I remember 1999/2000 being all about what wild new soundscapes were about to bless our ears in the new Millennium, and this appeared in my life. While Jonsi’s voice can be a little too angelic and fluttery for its own good at times, it’s still a powerful tool. I prefer when he sings in a slightly lower register. The songs on here are long form tone poems that may seem to drag at times, but ultimately always reach the heavens through its luscious, ethereal mood. They sound the way Iceland looks. I can’t say there is a bad song on here and this holds all the way up 27 years later. 5/5

I wonder if living in Iceland feels almost like living on another planet. I've never been, but the landscape and remoteness would lend itself to that feeling I'd think. And the music that comes out of Iceland tends to feel that way too. This particular album is otherworldly in all the best ways. It makes me want to swim in it and fly through it. It's stunning and immersive and feels like the universe breathing and expressing its beauty. What a masterful piece of art.

119. dune music

Conflicted as I Can't work out if I don't like this album as much as I once did, or I need to listen to it in a particualr mood. Found it pretty tiresome. Still love the instrumentals. Fav tracks: Svefn-g-englar, Staralfur RYM: Y (#115) Saved a song: N

Great for concentration

I think you just straight up have to listen to this with headphones and a lot of focus. I did not do that. But even still, I can tell that this is something special. What a sonic journey. How do you even make something that sounds like this? I gotta listen again. Someday, when I have the time. Not a final review. Edit: alright, so I did just that. Locked in on a plane (middle seat) with douchebags next to me and nothing to do but listen. Turns out this is one of the most 5 5's out there. Mother of fucking God, this is beautiful. Yes, it's a hell of a commitment and clearly this is not for everyone. Or even most people. But this is unbelievably unique and stunning. Utterly transporting and transfixing. Wow.

Didn’t really get this one. Ok to listen to I gues s.

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

i was a very passive listener of these guys at the time. I was a teenager and I don't think i really appreciated them at the time. NOW I DO. I really loved this album. Yes the songs are long but it transports you. I love the sound and the feelings I was getting from this. I'd put this on high rotation.

Listened to this after a night out, walking along the canals in London while the sun was coming up. Easy 5 for me. Spacious, otherworldly, but still very melodic and emotional. Bowed guitars! Seeking out more of their music now.

Incredible. No notes

Just about as good as I remember it.

New to me

4.5 - WOW this alum really surprised me. I have heard of this group but never listened to them, although one song I know I had heard before. What a ride. Beautiful soundscapes and interesting and compelling crescendos. Probably my favorite new album so far here... Fav Songs: Staralfur // Ny batteri

I like what sigur ros do they don’t sound like any other band and have a unique style that I feel breaks language barriers I think the album is really good not perfect but if you like their style of music you will like the album

i've seen people occasionally praise this album online, but i've never bothered to check it out til now [untitled] - no rating Svefn-g-englar - 5/5 Starálfur - 4/5 Flugufrelsarinn - 5/5 Ný batterí - 5/5 Hjartað hamast (Bamm bamm bamm) - 4/5 Viðrar vel til loftárása - 4/5 Olsen Olsen - 5/5 Ágætis byrjun - 5/5 Avalon - 4/5 Average score: 4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i guess Bjork isn't the only good artist to come out of Iceland this was a very lengthy but beautiful album. Svefn-g-englar was particularly thought-provoking for me. not sure if the album cover had any influence, but it sounded lullaby-ish. Flugufrelsarinn and Olsen olsen were pretty captivating as well

The Svefn-g-englar single was a perfect release - an introduction to this otherworldy band conjoring this sweeping, ambient, spacious windswept alien sounds. This album is twice as long as the 4-track single and a bit baggy - the extended strings section and trip hop adjacent stuff drag it down a bit. Also not being a first encounter with the band it's a bit less special. But even so, the highs (Viðrar vel til loftárása & Svefn-g-englar especially) are pretty stunning: landscape painting as music - ethereal, dreamy, cathartic, spiritual, oceanic stuff.

Beautiful album that is really sublime at several moments. It is quite long, so it struggles to maintain the peak quality the whole way through. But at its best, this is really enveloping and arresting, music to stare at the sky or ceiling to. Must-listen #320.

Bit slow in parts.

Not that Icelandic is an alien language, but to the non-native speaker it plays perfectly into this album’s almost-otherworldly feel. The tone of the record is almost perfect.

All time favorite 🙌

beautiful. slightly haunting. what else can i say? very beautiful dreamy music. thank you iceland. i love you. feeling very mournful for the past now. but things will be better soon. we'll do better next time ♥️

I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. It was ok, very ambient music type stuff. Might listen to it again if I needed background music but would not search it out. Would not buy it

I’ve always enjoyed a good Sigur Ros album. Great stuff.

Ethereal - I suspect it would score higher as I listened more

Forever on the list of bands I need to dig deeper into. A 3 that would will likely rise over time.

surprisingly I liked this a lot actually

This one was so beautiful I felt like I was floating. Don’t understand a word of icelandic

Though the album title translates to "A Good Beginning," this was actually Sigur Ros' second album. Their debut, Von, released only in their native Iceland and sold only a few hundred copies, but this debut/sophomore hybrid launched the slow-motion movie score rockers into the cosmos where they apparently came from. From the instrumental intro to the sonar beeps of lead single and post-rock lullaby "Svefn-g-englar," Agaetis byrjun seems completely invested in submerging the listener in the sea of stars, auroras and humming mountains that inform their grandiose sound. The distinct instrument here is frontman Jonsi's bowed guitar. Though he wasn't the first to do it, I can't think of anyone who can get more out of a single bowed wash of half-speed chords than him. The rest of the instrumentation - dramatic strings, pianos, slide guitars, and even the occasional brass - fill out the rest of the indie-darling orchestra that seemed to automatically generate high review scores back in 1999. A listener might dismiss a lot of this as dreamy and banal hospital-drama music, especially on a song like "Staraflur," but the beauty of the songs lies in their deceptive simplicity. This is just plain alt rock done in slow motion, deliberately slowed to a crawl to make you feel every motion. And nowhere is it more effective than on tracks like "Viðrar vel til loftárása," which makes the listener wait 7 minutes for the massive swirling climax. Easily the emotional high point of the album, it never fails to make me tear up. There was this one time I couldn't sleep no matter what, and I put on this album. In that sleep-deprived state, I managed to catch the ending of "Loftarasa" just as the sun was coming up: far and away one of the most poignant musical moments of my life. Kind of hard to give an album associated with a moment like that one anything less than a perfect score. Key Tracks: Svefn-g-englar, Flugufrelsarinn, Viðrar vel til loftárása, Olsen olsen

Hadn’t listened to this for some years and I am asking myself “why not?” Sublime and one of a kind with great vocals and instrumentation

this was not my taste

I haven't cried yet, or fallen asleep. By the third track I'm mostly wondering how to say bless you in Icelandic. Achooo-o-wooooo Bless you! Achooo-o-wooooo Bless you! Somebody told me 20+ years ago how important this album was and I just didn't get it. I'm trying hard on this relisten to keep an open mind, but the second dream pop album in two days is making me restless so far. Some good stuff later in, ambient but a little more substance. Soundtrack to a movie you couldn't hope to understand (hello, Vanilla Sky). Kinda lost me in the flute zone - it is me, not you. 3.5

Beautiful from Sigur Ros

Album #1,085 What is this bullshit? Inspired by Radiohead or the other way around? Songs take forever to get where they are going. Awful sounding singer. Complete silence for far too long. Ear-splitting shrill noises. Yet there are parts here and there that sound good, like the drums on Ny Batteri. I was waffling between a 1 and 2 the entire album, and I decided to let the final track break the tie. It was 4 minutes of basically nothing. That decided it.

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

Shouldnt like this....but I do! Interesting dynamic range of the way the songs build...despite not understanding a word of what they're saying, it feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket and looking at the stars. May not want to see them in concerr per se, but its certainly perfect for a lot of situations.

This album made me cry. The instrumentation, vocals, and mix of strings and rock elements are absolutely breathtaking. Best listened to with headphones and in a melancholic mood. Favorite song: Olsen Olsen

Beautiful

They're taking themselves way too seriously.

This album was amazing, such an amazing sound throughout every song, it truly is an experience listening to this masterpiece for the first time

Zajebisty album, wieczory i noce idelany klimat na słuchanie

Listens: 3 or 4 Standout Tracks: Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm), Viðrar vel til loftárása, Olsen olsen This was quite a lovely album. Thought provoking and powerful. Interesting sounds, instruments, styles and vocals... and I can't understand a lick of it. This is undoubtedly a recurring theme for me here. A good handful of 4 and 5-rated albums are in languages I have no comprehension of. There are some elements in Olsen Olsen that give me major The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask vibes. The flute? reminds me of the Clocktower town theme music (I think). And then on the last track as everything is winding down, there's a lot of ambient sounds that remind me of a certain creaking, groaning and grinding clock tower. All this Zelda stuff aside, the fact that I don't understand any of the singing means that I can sort of let the vocals fade into the background, and consequently, this becomes a sort of pseudo-instrumental, ambient, soundscape-y album, where I can really focus on the music. Very high marks for me.

Kind of demands your attention despite keeping a drowsy ethereal feel for most of the album. Cant really do anything else while listening to it.

на фон

Beautiful album. I didn't understand a word of it. Even if I knew Icelandic, I may not have understood a word of it but I will definitely listen again.

Haunting, depressing, slow, but interesting. Made me nearly cry in a haunting way.

The ambient dream pop style here is like the music I was obsessed with in my late teens. The latter third of the album does blend together and overall it could use more peaks, but this one is an excellent time. An area not really touched upon here yet.

This is an album full of atmospheric, drone-y, chill songs by an Icelandic band. It's a blissed-out hour-plus of shoegazery guitars, strings, drums, and synth with a bit of post-rock influence. The vocals can sometimes be a little whiney, but the music is top-notch. You can even catch a cameo of Sigur Ros performing for King Joffrey at his wedding in that episode in Game of Thrones.

lowkey fire

I’ve heard of Sigur Ros for a long time now but admittedly have never listened to them. I had a rough idea of the type of music they’re known for but I’m two tracks in and can see why they’re renowned. The music is soft but also HUGE at the same time, there’s these lush background layers filling every space. Ethereal. There’s a couple of parts in Starálfur that sound...angelic. Like I’m on my way to the Pearly Gates themselves (I’m not religious btw but that’s what it made me feel lol). My only gripe so far is some of the singing – it’s a great voice don’t get me wrong just some of the way he sings I’m not sure of. Some songs I prefer it to others. I’m torn on my feelings about this – musically it is incredible in its own way there’s no doubt. I have to say I did find my interest waning as it went on. The ambient nature can be an acquired taste, and there’s some ambient music I’ve listened to before that I really like. I guess sometimes it hits you right and sometimes it doesn’t. I could probably listen to this album on another day and feel much different.

The Good: We get to learn a new language! The Bad: We find out it is made up… The Ugly: Even if we try to learn both languages, the tongue fall will still kill you… FUCK ME! That was great! Don’t know what to say… I could make up a language to show appreciation, but why bother? This was a moment of “thank you Mr D, thank you for creating the list, and me getting on the list train!” Finally an album which I would never have listened to had it not been for the list. The listening experience has been one of the most relaxing, one of the most emotive, one of the most attentive, one of the most replayed to date… Will I start listening to the other workd from Sigur Ros? I fear to do so, as I might end up disappointed… I am sure that I will one day… for now, I will just cherish this album. An album which my wife hates, by the way… 5*

supposedly knowing the lyrics are critical to experience this album to its fullest. it feels unfair, but im not here for a reading exercise. the music is pleasant enough. this may be what radiohead sounds like to people who dislike radiohead

Huch Klar das sowas am 01.01.2000 veröffentlicht wird

Today’s listen was the first in a long while. There’s no point in me labouring in purple prose trying to describe something innately indescribable. I enjoyed it as usual, but it did feel like a listen with fresh ears. Ágætis Byrjun seems like a “love it or hate it” kind of album, and if this was some kind of binary review, I would love it. Simple, job done. Thankfully though we’re not working in a binary system (full stars only is restrictive enough thank you!) so I am free to add some nuance to my opinion. At the risk of coming across as elitist, it feels like a lot of reviewers who have enjoyed this have done so thinking it’s an utterly unique experience. My feeling is that there are lots of other acts who work/have worked broadly in this area and this album does not eclipse them all, not only that, but it’s not even the best Sigur Rós album. I have enjoyed music that led to, and has come after this album; spacerock, neo-psychedelia, shoegaze, post-rock etc., and Sigur Rós exist in that context. They may come across like they have appeared from space or spawned from glaciers or something, but they are humans expressing themselves excellently in a real world, not a bubble. Some things they do are better than others, but sometimes I would prefer to be listening to Slowdive or Hawkwind or Godspeed, Do Make Say Think, Jon Hopkins…you get the picture. This is a massive sounding record that simultaneously conveys emotions delicately and does so brilliantly. It’s worth a mention however, that it doesn’t deserve 5 stars simply for being unique because it isn’t. (Also The Bracket Album is better)

A little bit weird... I mean, it s not bad but it sounds like the sounds of nature or sth like that, and it becomes boring after some time, but it would be great for streching of sth. Ohh and realllly long songs, like +10min. And at the end or in the middle is were the lyrics starts, so late, and then it becomes more like interesting and rock thing. (Icelandic)

I've been an admirer, if not exactly a fan, since this album was released. They make some absolutely gorgeous music, and they are certainly unique. But they also tend to go on and on, and overly complicate arrangements to the point of being overwhelmed by the instrumentation. I'm also hot and cold on Jonsi’s vocals. Sometimes really lovely, other times grating. But in the end, the world is a better place with Sigur Ros making its own music and letting us listen in. I saw them in 2005 and the first hour was absolutely stunning. And the last 30 minutes dragged. That's just SR and me

After the crafted balance of D, I step into something entirely different — not structure, not groove… but atmosphere as emotion. With Sigur Rós, I’m no longer listening for rhythm or resolution. I’m listening for feeling suspended in sound. This album doesn’t move forward in the way rock usually does — it unfolds, slowly, like light breaking through clouds. The bowed guitar, the distant drums, the voice of Jónsi — all of it feels angelic, but never fragile. Tracks like Svefn-g-englar and Starálfur don’t demand attention — they draw me inward. Where I previously searched for: • rhythm (Franz Ferdinand) • humanity (Graceland) • scale (Iron Maiden) • melodic light (ELO) • balance (White Denim) …here, I find something else entirely: stillness that speaks. Historically, I hear this as a turning point — where alternative music dares to abandon language, abandon structure, and trust pure sound. ⸻ My Journey Note This is not an album I analyze. This is an album I enter. And for a moment, everything becomes quieter — not empty… just full in a different way.

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.

Klassiker for evig og alltid.

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

it's a lovely ambient and calming album. my only complaint is that I wasn't listening to this high. 3.5

This took me to Avalon.

Very relaxing

Well that was a vibe. Basically classical music with rock instrumentation. Very cool.

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.

pretty bad and weird

I am a music technology major who studied with a close Icelandic friend; this is obviously a 5 for me. Genius.

No está mal esta frikada

What a journey...

Feels like it should be my cup of tea but is actually just a bit annoying at times. Some of it is beautiful though, mixed bag.

Loved it, great chilled music :)

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.

Instrumentals were perfect on this album, the best instrumentals I’ve heard on an album ever so far. This is definitely one to get lost in.

Interesting. Was sceptical at first but it grew on me. The songs were too long for me however, and there wasn’t a lot of difference between them.

- meno on ku legendaarisessa radiohead pyramid song hidastettu 800%, eli hyvä - sigur ros on nimenä ollut tuttu melko pitkään mutta kärsivällisyys ei oo riittänyt tutustumaan lähemmin - on kyl mielettömiä melodioita ja upee tunnelma, kylmiä väreitä pukkaa - ei ehkä päivittäiseen kuunteluun mutta kyllä tälle on varmasti aikansa ja paikkansa

"Icelandic Post-Rock" is a new phrase in my music genre vocabulary and to be honest I didn't hate what I heard. It was a fantastic soundtrack to me setting up my classroom in the morning and I can see this being the perfect accompaniment to a rainy or cold morning. I don't know if I would listen to this record under any other circumstance. I also don't know if it is something I would return to after my time listening to it as part of this experience. Because of that I'm giving it a 3/5. Thankful to it for expanding my sphere of genres I've listened to but not enough here to make me a convert to the genre.

3/5

This was pleasant enough, I suppose. But didn't really get me there. 3

Sounded kinda cool I guess, but no specific songs really stuck out to me

This is a very beautiful album.

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.

I was surprised how much I liked this…good chill vibes

I liked this, laid back for 400

it’s very pretty, just not for me!

I couldn’t finish this. Kind of embarrassed to say since I know this is supposed to be good stuff

I found this music at different junctures to be very soothing, ethereal, dreamy, emotionally powerful and musically interesting throughout. I had no preconceptions which made for interesting listening. More listenings/explorations to follow.

Dreamlike. Good ambience but gets a bit long in spots.

The “it’s you” song almost ruined it for me but glad I stuck it out, super interesting album I never would have listened to otherwise. Will be listening to their other albums soon

Beautiful is the best word to describe this album. Tough to listen to on car speakers while driving as it interferes a lot with the background noise of the album. Listening with headphones made me like this significantly more and I think I’ll listen to more from Sigur Rós in the future.

Good for background music. Not at all what I was expecting!

Need to come back to this. Giving it a 3.5 rounded up for now

first time, great time

I'm a sucker for this one. Moody and ethereal. I like the adjective celestial. It pays double when you're in a comfortable place to just sit and listen. Beautiful, fun stuff.

2.5

I can’t, even after all these years of casual listening ( I’m not the most hardcore fan) figure out how to explain this album and this band. I know I feel things I hardly ever feel from them in the best way. It almost feels like listening to them becomes the soundtrack to your own personal independent movie. The emotion from these songs carries a good moment into a better moment. I can’t pick or pronounce any of the songs but I love em.

To be honest completely different than the previous 2 albums... I read bit about the album and the artists background, different language, very soulfull sound, musically outstanding, less lyrics... Very different and original. perhaps musical genius people as i always say, wow... But language barrier made the things a bit hard like lyrics and name of each song.....

Love sigur ros sooo much!! Was gonna keep my five starts just for their parentheses album, but listening again to this one it's too amazing! If you haven't taken some kind of transport and put a sigur ros record on while u do it then do it! Amazing experience

The most tranquil and calming record I've ever heard. It's like laying on a cloud with a slight breeze hitting you. Beautiful stuff. Favorite track: Svefn-G-Englar

4.6

ehhhhh

:)

Brillint.

frostmoon scions

A slog to get through, pretty boring.

Wow, this floored me

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

This is an example of the kind of albums this list should be for. Music that I have no real reference point to judge other than I like it or I don’t. It’s 1 or 5. Well, I liked it quite a bit.

Something this project has taught me is that I generally like high energy music. Across genres, I am way more likely to fuck with something if it's got some kind of energy behind it. Failing that, brilliant lyricism tends to be the only hope for a low energy album to remain in my good graces. I liked some of the higher energy options well-enough.

I listened to this album for the first time while locked in and zoning out at my desk at work. The second time, I was lying in bed with the lights out and my eyes closed. I've been curious just how diverse this list would end up being, and how much representation there would be of non-English speaking musical cultures. Technically Christine and the Queens' album Chris was partially in French, but it also had an English version, so that leaves this album from Sigur Rós as the first fully foreign language album I've encountered in this list, and what a powerful first impression it is. Hearing this band described as a rock band did little to prepare me for the grand, operatic sense of scale in this album. There is an epic tranquility to this album, as if I'm floating in space or setting off on an unknown voyage. The gorgeous orchestration (which is apparently partially accomplished with a bowed guitar, a style of guitar playing I was completely unfamiliar with) is not where the story ends though, as it serves as a foundation upon which are laid ethereal and mysterious vocals, stabs of distorted soundscapes, and booming metal drum hits, keeping the album fresh and engaging the entire time despite the daunting song lengths. This is one of the most atmospheric and transportive albums I can remember experiencing, and I consider that a great compliment. Highlights: Svefn-g-englar, Starálfur, Flugufrelsarinn, Ný batterí, Hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm), Viðrar vel til loftárása, Olsen olsen

i absolutely loved this one, i didn’t get a single word spoken but still, the music in this album is so so beautiful i can’t put into words how much i loved it, i wish i understood what’s it about.

Takarta de Brendata bara

If you were to tell me that there’d be a band that I would enjoy that wouldn’t be singing in English but rather some made up word salad with a gibberish language. I’d laugh and say “what?” In a really confused tone. The funny thing is, is I tend to think I’m hearing English enough with these made up words that I can kind of sing along from time to time. I don’t know what to say. This is interesting and creative and moving and grooving and proving people wrong yet again that words don’t always control the flow. I say yet again with a grain of salt but since I’m trying to be a professional music review guy, I figured it would be a good thing to say. I still hate poor lyrics and instrumental music. Always will. This is a slow burn album from start to finish. It just keeps that pace and it works, it really does. I’m a high octane guy too and I’m caught in its web. Choice cut: the 2nd song. I’m not spelling it out.

interesting

It's a good album if a bit monotonous

Symphonic ethereal musical goop (in a good way!).

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

Never would've found this. Probably wouldn't listen again. Very ethereal, but not bad.

NK

transcendental

Donnerstag, 26.03.2026 ~ Vormittags ~ In der U3 auf dem Weg zur Uni.

Donnerstag 26.03.2026 Ringbahn und U3 aufm Weg zur Uni, Aufenthaltsraum 2. Stock Campusbibliothek

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

разок послушала - вроде красиво, интересно. второй раз послушала - очень занудно))

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.

Fairly interesting album, very atmospheric and chilled. But not the most exciting in my opinion. Appreciated it, but not my favourite.

It’s pretty different and mostly calming but did not resonate as much

⭐️ Sven-G-Englar 9/10 El álbum se siente cómo una muerte en una película. Te tira para abajo, hundiéndote en un mar donde nadie te va a encontrar, pero ya entendiste que ese es tu final y te alegras. Me hace acordar a los cantos de unas sirenas que te atraen para ahogarte. Sabes que te acercas a tu muerte y queres llegar, porque hay algo que te llama hacia ella y queres saber que es, y por qué te atrae tanto.

I listened the heck out of this album when I was 17. What?!? More music out of Iceland (that’s not Bjork). Made up language lyrics? Let’s see if it holds up. Ok, this album feels like soaking in a warm bath. Do I love it as much as I did in 1999? No. Did I ever really like it or was I trying to get a return on purchase of my CD? Cost per listen? In any case, great album that has lost some lustre (for me. I get it that people love this record). Fave track remains Olsen Olsen. Necessary on the list. Hovering just below a 4/5.

Layered, orchestral, ethereal, beautiful.

Album #77 Sigur Rós:Ágætis Byrjun When it comes to music, there is only one thing I take into consideration: how it makes me feel. I don’t care how it is done, whether you are orchestrating a 12-piece ensemble or clanging two bricks together, as long as you convey emotion to the point where it resonates with some part of me, the music is good. I had never heard this album before today, a fact which many would be jealous of. There are a few moments in my life when cherishing art that I wish to be able to experience again for the first time: playing The Legend of Zelda, watching Indiana Jones, and listening to Breakfast in America, all moments which changed the way I viewed an artistic medium. Ágætis Byrjun doesn’t change the way that I view music, but it captures the feeling of what it is like to undergo such a profound experience. My post-rock knowledge is limited almost exclusively to Talk Talk, who I consider now to be one of my favourite bands, but previously I was only in love with their synth-pop era; it took me a while to understand their latter two masterpieces. I think post-rock at times can rely a bit too much on ambience and drone; the essential point of the genre is to very slowly build up to a crescendo, and release all of the listener's emotions at once. Sometimes, artists forget that in the build-up, the listener still has to be engaged every step of the way. On Ágætis Byrjun, the build-up never feels tedious. I was thoroughly engaged all the way through; every moment contributed something to the experience that would eventually result in a climax. I haven’t had too much time to sit with this album; however, I have had enough time to know just how special it really is. This is the type of album that you only bust out on special occasions in order to preserve its aura. In other words, perfect. Best Tracks: Flugufrelsarinn, Stralfur, Olsen Olsen Worst Track: None Score out of 10: 10

I see why people like this but it’s not my thing

Este disco es todo un viaje. Había escuchado muy poco de Sigur Ros y escucharlos de esta forma es otra cosa, sin duda tiene canciones que son toda una experiencia, me recuerda en ratos a Portishead o bandas por el estilo que tienen ese algo que te atrapa y te mete en un ambiente único.

Fantastic

One of the most beautiful sounding albums ever. Best enjoyed whilst leaning back in a chair, in a dark room, with headphones.

no conecte, talvez no era mi momento

Its not () but I love Sigur Ros. Didn't realize the song from Life Aquatic was on this album. Literally sat bolt upright in my chair.

Fantastic.

Stillness in motion. I recognize this is considered brilliant by some but in my mind it is a soundtrack for dusk. As the night descends on a fall night overlooking calm waters this album would mirror the calm as a gentle wind sweeps over the water and the sound of Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson‘a falsetto sung in a tribal language floating across the water. Hence, each of these passages slightly alter the mood but not so much to disturb the calm. This is music of reflection- not action. While it is not my vibe, I recognize the talent that underlies these compositions. Each is a conversation with the listener to be examined internally and alone. This is not a shared experience but an individual one examined through the lens of each person’s experience. 4/5

I kinda liked the vibe at the beginning but then it became more of a noise album. I can’t see myself listening to any of this again.

It’s a no from me dawg.

If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all

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

Beautiful, haunting

Now that was trash

Beautiful, eclectic, intimate, varied and full of textures

Definitely gave me a new perspective on music. Very long for my taste.

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

I get why so many people I know love this band. I just don't

Was weird and different

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

A pleasant surprise.

It's really hard to believe this album is more than 25 years old now. I remember when it came out and I heard the song Svefn-g-englar for the first time. I was immediately drawn to the ambient atmospherics. I bought the CD as soon as I could find it. That opening track has really held up over the years, but the rest of the album is a bit of slog to get through. Not a damn thing wrong with the album as whole. But it just doesn't hold my attention quite the way it did all those years ago when I first listened. I'll give it the old 3.5/5 rounded to 4 that I believe I've handed out for more than half the albums I've listened to the last few weeks.

I can totally see why someone would give this a five. I’ve never heard it before, never listen to Sigur Rós, but I am immediately swept in, and I see how they see the world chaotic, pained, smiling when in pain, because of the beauty contained within it. Childlike, natural like dew falling off of a leaf. I really want to know how the hell they got some of these sound, and I think it adds to the experience that I don’t know.

This slaps

Pure magic. Productivity was very high while listening

Jesus. This one sucks.

Very interesting. Enjoyed it, not something I'd normally listen to.

dale ballenato, que bonico

4,5/5

Había un montón de tempo que non escoitaba este disco enteiro. Tanto que, seguramente, aínda fose adolescente a última vez que o fixen. Seguen a parecerme un grupo tan fascinante como a primeira vez que, unha tarde á volta do instituto, pasaron Heima nunha das canles de cine do daquela Digital Plus e quedei pampo vendo paisaxes de volcáns e glaciares coa súa música de fondo. Admirando unha beleza tan salvaxe e singular que parecía irreal. Aínda hoxe abondan unhas poucas notas de piano para que me estremeza de corpo enteiro cando soa 'Starálfur". Un álbum cuns picos tan altos ('Svefn-g-englar' ou 'Ágætis byrjun') que comprendo que ata un canon tan ortodoxo coma o dos 1.001 discos teña sitio para el (#23 dos 1.001 discos que escoitar antes de morrer: 4,5/5)

ballenacore

Need more post rock

Not for me

Songs were really long not really my vibe

Very dreamy and ambient, complete with the interesting language that is Icelandic. Didn't really do much else for me, though. A lot of the reviewers seemed to have been wowed by this record, so I kind of feel like I've missed something here. I sort of felt exhausted as I neared the end. The production is great, don't get me wrong, so I guess the novelty wore thin with the lengths of some of these tracks.

Wow what a discovery! I was entranced nearly the whole album. This will be a future study album

Just plain boring. Ambient in the wrong way.

Average. Quite melodic in places, got lost in the noise in a few places. Enjoyed listening by the pool in Tenerife.

Nice, chill ambience. Sigur Rós is weird but cool.

I’ve always heard this band’s name, but never really indulged in their discography. It is (actually, to my surprise) right up my alley. Maybe post-rock is one of my favourite genres? Probably. I was hearing a lot of things in this one that came after 1999. Looved the spaciousness on this one and honestly, I don’t have anything bad to say about it. So it’ll go to the 5 star wall.

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.

This hits a lot of the things I like - post-rock, dreamy, synth-y, but it didn't impress me or hold my attention. It's like overly emotional in the way that makes it feel performative. That sounds like terrible, meaningless criticism, but it's something I've found in a few albums on this list. Perhaps the emotions are authentic to the artists who contributed to the album, but to me, this feels plastic like a simulation of emotion rather than the emotion itself. It's nice to listen to and entertaining but too perfect, too polished, and inauthentic.

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.

This was a fascinating album. My brother saw them live about a decade ago and said it was amazing, and I get how that could be true. It didn't blow me away like they might do if we saw them live, but there was a lot to like about this. Among the highlights for me were Svefn-G-Englar (which I feel like I have heard before), Ny Batteri, and Hjartao Hamast, all of which had a ton of cool elements to them. Overall, this album has a great atmosphere to it. Very ethereal in nature. 4 stars, really cool find in this countdown.

wasn't vibing w/ it at first but it grew on me. def need to relisten

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 is the first album I've been served that I've known backwards and forwards--I don't have a clue what they're saying, but I've spent countless hours making art with Sigur Ros playing in the background, specifically this album.

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

I had no idea what to expect from this album. I had a feeling I was going to enjoy it from reading some of the reviews but nothing could've prepared me for the eclectic masterpiece that is this album. The variety of sounds, instrumentation and beautiful vocals left me speechless and almost emotional. I felt like I was on a journey through a life portrayed solely through music. This was definitely a life-changing experience for me

Very spacy, very chill, very good. 4.5 bumped down to 4

I’m at a 10. Something about Icelandic production really works, huh? The lyricism here is fantastically vivid when translated, giving each track the framework needed to really understand the emotional pull of each track, but even without them… I mean, it’s just a brilliantly produced album. It’s cinematic in scope, left for the imagination to paint a lot of the picture that the lyrics only loosely carry. They’re like a screenwriter’s notes for the director to try and make sense of, with the soundscape being the scenery in which to film in. It’s very hard to describe this album’s impact, because ultimately, everyone will be painting different scenes out of these lyrics, yet ones that are all vivid in the same way. A few tracks are more direct, namely the title track. It’s a lamentation over the band’s first album being a critical / commercial failure, yet looking at the bright side of life with it. They treated it as a good beginning, and they certainly lived up to their vow to make something better for this, their second album. I have to give credit where it’s due to the vocals here; Jonsi Birgisson does a remarkable job of letting the vocals guide the direction of each track, & they feel equally as important as all of the orchestration & guitar / synth work that permeates this album. It’s very hard to describe how easily it all comes together, because it’s so flawlessly done that it just passes by without thinking too deeply about it. This whole album is entrancing in that sense; 10 minute pieces can flash by in an instant, yet each individual segment of each track feels like an adventure to explore or a glimmer of a lifetime one won’t experience. It genuinely sounds like how a dream feels, except without the waning memory that so often happens when you wake up. I think the most fascinating piece here is “Olsen Olsen”, which is a track sung entirely in Fake Icelandic. Bjork used the same “language” on one of her albums, but only sparingly & in transitional phases, like missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Here, since it’s the entire track, it’s fully up to the brain to fill in the gaps, and I think people’s responses to that track in particular will express the full range of the album. At one point, I wrote down that it sounded like the dopamine hit of watching the sunset over a horizon on a summer day, with a wistful energy that tries to capture a magic that one rarely feels as they get older. The crowd bustling around at the end just felt like everyone’s shared experience ending as day turned to night. Of course, that’s just my take on it. That track encapsulates the whole album, and I think it’s a remarkably rewarding one. It’s certainly one that I’ll come back to if I need a burst of inspiration, or if I just want to hear the fantastic orchestration on “Starálfur” again. You could do studies around the psychological impact of this album, even among the people who find it to be dull & trite, possibly exposing a lack of imagination or a differently wired experience that won’t allow music like this to connect to the brain so fruitfully. I think the entire thing is beyond worth listening to before you die, and I think it’s a 10. (P.S.: I’m stunned that something like this was able to be produced in 1999. Even now, it feels incredibly fresh. Over in the U.S., we were listening to Smash Mouth, you know what I mean? No disrespect to All Star or anything, but the difference is striking.)

Love this, saw them live a few years ago as a friend had a spare ticket and it’s the best gig I’ve been at. No moshing though.

Much more Radiohead adjacent than I expected. Also, made up language? Fun stuff

Definitivt häftigt men inte riiiktigt min grej

Tar verkligen med sig lyssnaren till en helt egen plats.

Hur har jag aldrig lyssnat på dem förut?

Rätt nice! Inte vad jag väntade mig.

Pépite et calme

This really is the pinnacle of post-rock. Every song is so beautiful, it's such a serene experience. There's really nothing like it, I feel like other post-rock is just too ambient to really be an engaging listening experience, but this really toes the line between ambience and dynamic listening. Truly exceptional. Favorites: Svefn-g-englar, Flugufrelsarinn, Hjartao hamast (bamm bamm bamm)

Great Album! so ethereal exactly what I needed

Super relaxing and beautiful.

Absolutely magnificent piece of Art. <3

Bland.

Музыка норм но эта воющая залупа пиздец

Music was so interesting!!! I thought it was well done, very chill.

why is this on the list... no one is actually listening to this.

Review - why had I always avoided this band? This album was such a good listen, so different than anything else today, nevermind when it came out. A longer listen but not hard to get through. Rating - 9/10 Need to listen? YES

A good beginning.

Album 109. Ágætis Byrjun (https://open.spotify.com/album/7LKQtdC6uWxqLzSbDonFij?si=2ghiAa4bSOCueWV5EtUcAg) — Sigur Rós (1999) That's the kind of music I do this challenge for. It’s Icelandic album. WTF is Iceland by the way? First time I'm hearing about this place. Are there living people like on the album cover? That would explain a lot. Weird ambient music, but good. Very chill, calm, orchestral, relaxing and well written. I don’t understand the lyrics, so I have to find translations to get what this music is about. Svefn-g-englar is a cool and long track, I like how it tries to change in the middle, but it’s just a fake switch. I really like the album, a lot of tracks feel like great soundtracks to a sci-fi movie or for other genres. 4/5 Liked songs: — Svefn-g-englar — Starálfur

Not for me.

A sound like no other, way ahead of their time

Expected sub-Radiohead noodling, but was pleasantly surprised by the variety of sounds and moods. Yes, it's experimental, which normally translates as "unlistenable", but I actually enjoyed this. It would be a great soundtrack to a Moomins film. Hemulens would enjoy this. And yes, I do know they're singing in Icelandic and not Swedish... Hate the cover though. That foetus is a scary bugger.

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

Neklausiau prieš tai bet girdėjau, šiaip bšk žiovaujau bet gražu ir radio head ish 7/10

Nice

I listened to most of this album while finishing a Lego Flower Set for my wife on Valentine's Day. The music was pleasant enough & stimulating enough to make the building process go by like it was nothing. At times it reminded of Radiohead. The sonic soundscapes are interesting. I don't think I'd listen to again but I did enjoy it. 3

Apparently I used to listen to this a lot. I would not have thought so, but it was definitely already in my brain. Anyway, it’s actually amazing. Good job, list!

beautiful

hitting differently in the wawa parking lot rn

This was one of the first more "ambient" albums I ever got into, and I will always have a soft spot for it for that alone, but luckily the music is beautiful and sounds like an ice cavern so it is incredible regardless. My favorites are 'Svefn-g-englar' and the title track. If you guys like this I would highly recommend the follow-up which is called ( ) and is also great. Rest of their output is a bit spotty . IMO .

3.5

This being the first "Victory Rose" studio album I've heard, this is "A Good Beginning". This is the most exemplary movement from Pre Dark Side Floyd to modern music. Post Rock can be a daunting genre for me because it lies in ethereal textures. But this is spot on to my tates (much like GsY!BE). I really want to spend more time with this one soon but just from the opener, "Svefn-g-englar" I was mesmerized by the sound. (honestly after the horrible day I had yesterday at work, and the much-needed zen I needed before today's hell as work, this is was a much needed listen) I'm actually going five stars on this first listen. I may fine tube it on further review, but this hit me good this morning. (10) ★★★★★

Not Sigur Rós' best album, but still a great and very relaxing album. 4.5 stars

4.5/5

I think this is a really pretty album, however, as it went on I did find myself getting a little bored with it. My general complaint with this band is their songs are kind of samey in terms of tempo and instrumentation. Still, it's really pretty, and songs like "Svefn-g-englar", "Olsen Olsen", and "Ný batterí" are very tasty. 4 stars.

4.5

Just beautiful. I don’t mean this as any sass but this is as beautiful Icelandic Coldplay as you can get even in 1999 before Coldplay were a thing. A very long album at 70 minutes, it gets phenomenal mainly at the start and during the last 4 tracks towards the end. Just to think that cute sleepy alien baby/foetus thing on the cover is all grown up now old enough to drive, vote and drink at bars. I hope it’s not starting any dance pop Imagine Aliens shit.

weirdly enough, i fuck with this album. i thought i wasnt going to be a big fan of it and skip most of the songs. But, i ended up liking it

Wow. Beautiful album. Sigur Ros has been on my radar for quite some time, so I'm glad that I finally got to check them out. I can definitely draw comparisons to Godspeed You Black Emperor, but the song structures are more well defined. Regardless, every song has a unique atmosphere that the layered instrumentals serve well. Will definitely be returning to this.

I thought I’d heard some Sigur Ros in the past and that it was indypop-ish, but obviously not, unless this album is a huge departure from their norm. These are nicely crafted pieces. A bit trippy in places and sometimes beautiful. Great foundational bass throughout. There’s a sense of ‘otherness’, almost ambience, which is exacerbated by the indecipherable language of the vocal track, which closes off one obvious way of accessing the songs’ meaning and intent. Whatever they’re singing about, I’m going to guess these aren’t songs about basketball and partying. I didn’t like the first track much at all. But after that it was all pretty good. Staralfur is really nice, with a sort of a Massive Attack meets Peter Greenaway vibe to it. Hjarto Hamast and Olsen Olsen are good too. I’ll probably listen again.

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.

Pretty but also boring. Every track sounds basically the same. Listened once and that was probably enough.

This album has nothing for me. I hated the instrumentation, I didn’t connect with the lyrics or the vocals. I genuinely hated every second of this album. I don’t understand how droning and boring albums like this make the list and the entirety of Primus doesn’t make the list. This is one of the incredibly rare times where I’m actually insulted by an albums inclusion on this list, do better…who ever picked this album to be here.

didn’t understand a word however i really think i connected with it. i really enjoyed.

Really enjoyed it. Beautiful post rock that made me feel like I was either lost at sea but at peace with that, walking through Irithyll of the Boreal Valley, or simply drifting though space. Great listen.

I really enjoyed this album. Nice to hear something from Iceland that isn't Bjork, and of course, this is totally different. It has such a great ethereal, psychedelic sound that I always enjoy. Music that you can just exist with and let the music just kind of take you, without having to think too much about it. I love that they kept everything in Icelandic and they really weren't pandering to the English speaking audience outside of Iceland. I liked the song Flugufrelsarinn. No idea what they were saying, but it just felt like an emotional song.

it definitely sounds like it had been beamed in from another galaxy, in a dreamy, calming sound. However, it's a bit boring to me. This might just be because i need lyrics to actually enjoy a song and deem it as good (I do not speak Icelandic). The production is good, but repetitive. I would never go back to this album.... a bit pretentious. my first "did not finish."

A beautiful ambient album with classical-sounding instruments and Icelandic vocalizations. A good album if you're looking to wind down. I learned that "Starálfur" was used in The Life Aquatic and it makes so much sense. Very Wes Anderson coded

soothing

You know how there's white noise or red noise or blue noise or whatever? This is white noise for suburbians who are "spiritually awakened." Not recommended if you're trying to start a work day, or operate heavy machinery. If you would like white noise where you can listen and still function safely, I would recommend the Anthrax album The Sound of White Noise.

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.

They would make an album that was entirely dishwasher sounds and I’d still eat that shit up. 100/10

This was a tough, but ultimately enjoyable listen. I had to listen to this album several times before I could even put my head around it, which took several days to accomplish. An interesting, ambient post-rock suite of tunes. This is the kind of music I really need to be in the mood to listen to, but this one is on my list for when such moods hit.

I enjoyed this when it first came out. I think the band got even better on subsequent albums. 3 stars.

Not my thing.

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

There are some really good songs and a couple not so good

I thought this album was great working music and solid vibes

My dad asked me if I was meditating at a spa while I listened to this.

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

oh post-rock you are always a hit or miss for me at first I was sure this was a miss it does have some good sounds, but overall feels more of a spiritual experience (for some maybe) than a musical (what I was expecting) was getting hard to sit through crazy how it is so hughly-rated maybe I am just undeveloped idk it does however sound very interesting and novel so bonus points for that

Looks like already rated this 4.0 on RYM. Used to be quite a fun of these guys back in the day, but after finding the likes of Eno and similar this just doesn't cut it anymore for me as much, at least 3 stars here for sure, but maybe even 4. I still remember and love couple of tracks from this one!

Atmospheric and moody, but veeeeeery slow.

There's some really pretty moments to this, but unfortunately a lot of it ends up as musical wallpaper. Pretty good album for listening to while you work, though!

Perfect walking in a snowy forest album...who know Icelander's knew that feeling?

One of my earliest ever reviews to AOTY was none other than Sigur Rós' extremely iconic and beloved album Ágætis byrjun, and today I wanted to give this album the much deserved relisten I think it warrants on a day like today. As I have explained many times with foreign albums I have heard, I do not speak any other language other than plain old American English but that doesn't mean I am not utterly intrigued by the complexities and strange quirks that make up one of the more niche languages I've heard. This project has been described as heavenly and ethereal and I am here to confirm that is still the case over 25 years later. The "opener" Svefn-g-englar is such a perfect song and absolutely cruises through the 10 minute runtime with such ease. This whole album is an experience needed to be heard in full because it truly feels like what I'd imagine hitting the pearly white gates or just that purgatory after death to feel like. Even though this album is far from having a universal appeal to it, I feel if anyone gave this album a try they'd walk away moved more than anything even if it didn't stick with them, and I feel like that speaks volumes.

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).

no

Hard for me to rate this. Much more of an ambient, kind of drone thing than what I was expecting. Genuinely really beautiful in parts, could really do without the ASMR in Bamm Bamm though.

When I discovered this album in 2009 it felt like a revelation at the time for me. There were periods where I would listen to it, not just multiple times a week, but multiple times a day. It's arguably, the single most beautiful album I've ever heard, with some songs sounding spacey and like they're floating on the beautiful strings that make up the instrumentation, and other songs are relentlessly dense and claustrophobic, creating a sense of dread that is always overtaken by the beauty of the rest of the music before too long. It's always a treat when one of these lists throws in a curveball of an album that I already have such a strong emotional attachment to, and that is definitely the case with this record.

Interesting one. I own a few Sigur Ros records and enjoy them. But they all sound very similar and I don't think they're a particularly influential band. So a good listen, but no better than most of the albums that came after it, and easy to argue this doesn't belong in the list

It’s like the generator read my review from yesterday praising 35 minute albums and wanted to test me today. Heard of this band because I think some of their music was in a movie or show I watched years ago, but completely unfamiliar with their sound so this will be a brand new listen. Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou! Right in their Wikipedia page. I do like the sound of this Life Aquatic song. Early on in the album and I think I’m going to like plenty of this sound, but maybe not 71 minutes worth of it. This seems influential to the sound of some indie music that came later. Very much atmospheric and spacey. It’s a nice sound, but overall feels more like something I would throw on in the background. There’s nothing I particularly dislike here, but overall the long songs are something I’m less likely to re-listen to. It feels like every song also has a moment where it becomes something else to transition into the following track. That being said, there is a real nice sound to a lot of this. Even if it’s not all entirely for me. I think there’s a stretch of a songs toward the end of the album that I really enjoyed so think I’ll settle on a 3. (Tracks 8 and 9, didn’t like the closer). This feels like the album when you’re in the mood for, it would be great. But I don’t think I would often be in the mood for it. If I need to focus and get some work done, this might be a perfect sound to have on. It’s somehow both original and forgettable.

Very chill. A great backdrop to working, but without just fading away into the background.

Beautiful

Very worthwhile addition to the list, but a bit to pedestrian for my taste.

Ça me rappelle mon bac en pharmacie. Un autre gars avec moi, Sylvain Roy (maintenant proprio PJC Sorel), aimait bien qu'on s'échange nos découvertes musicales. Guillaume me fait penser à lui. Chic type. Sylvain me fait penser aussi à Will Oldham -> Palace Music -> Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

Je pense que j'écoutais ça au début de l'université pour me faire croire que j'étais cool. Honnêtement, je trouve ça assez pénible à écouter maintenant, ça s'étire en longueurs, malgré les belles explorations de textures sonores. C'est sûrement moi qui suis pas assez zen. J'aime bien la toune qui jouait dans Beautiful Boy, excellent film qui m'a beaucoup touché. C'est définitivement de la musique qui se marie très bien au cinéma.

Bon rock ambiant! J’ai jamais embarqué dans eux avant mais je peux comprendre l’intérêt.

Delightfully atmospheric and tuneful. It didn't matter that I don't understand the lyrics. Perhaps I'll listen with the translations at some point but perhaps not! 4

It was nice but difficult to listen to.

It's OK. I do appreciate that it's a new language. Not the only thing they have in common with Cocteau Twins. (They don't actually sound like Cocteau Twins, though, so if you like them, don't assume.) There is something atmospheric and beautiful about their music, but it is not really my cup of tea.

This album and band were new to me and I really liked it! I think this will be something I have to listen to again a few more times to really appreciate it but there were a handful of truly stand-out tracks to me on first listen.

2.5 RYM

Nierda!!! No quiero ser islandes

An album so introspective, multifaceted, and beautifically harmonized

5 stars - fabulous, gorgeous!

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.

More music should consist of ominous soundscapes.

I’d never listened to Sigur Rós before; they simply existed as a pop culture reference in my brain. I really enjoyed the listening experience! There’s so much ambience and there’s a real richness to the sound. The swelling crescendos and the layering of instruments and vocals really scratched a certain part of my brain. Many of the tracks give me big Rock Eisteddfod vibes/mems (complimentary)

My first encounter with Sigur Ros was seeing their video for Gobbledigook in 2008, with a bunch of people running nude across the Icelandic countryside (still great). And in a huge coincidence, I was actually listening to one of their later albums yesterday morning because I needed an appropriate soundtrack for the novel I’m reading set in Iceland. And then this album came along!! Perfect audio accompaniment for me to really get absorbed in (also a section of the book actually mentioned Sigur Ros while I was listening to them). I didn’t really know the very early Sigur Ros stuff very well, but it’s easy to get lost in it and I found it quite beautiful and peaceful. I really liked how unhurried this album was, taking its time to open up and going on a journey with each song. I maybe prefer their later stuff just being a bit more structured and tight but this was great. I would definitely return to this and keen to get through the rest of their discography too Staralfur was my fave

There’s some really really nice sounds going on here and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing them. Everything feels kind of understated and scaled down a notch which, combined with the fact that I don’t speak Icelandic, makes this really lovely ambient music to work to.

Overall I liked this album, but every once in a while they would add the strangest choice in sound. And I'd go from following the music with them to wanting to throw things at my speakers. Pour quotes?!

not my fave album by them but is sigur ros ever not the vibe??? 4.5

not in english. one star

With the albums we’ve heard this week I wasn’t expecting much, and it started off a bit slow, but the rest of the album was actually not too bad.

Ethereal.

Exceptional. One of my absolute favorites.

Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun Ágætis Byrjun is an "on Mars" technical achievement that unfortunately hits a "lyrics barrier" before it can make a true personal impact. While the production is "immaculate"—delivering a "cinematic" and "ambient" atmosphere that rivals the best of Radiohead—the lack of relatable substance makes it hard to fully "unlock" the experience. I can admire the "sophisticated" musicianship and the "eerie" beauty of the cello-bowed guitars, but without a lyrical connection, the songs often feel like a "pretty average" wash of sound. "Olsen Olsen" stands out as the lone highlight that managed to break through, but the rest of the LP lacks the "replay value" needed for my permanent rotation. A respectful 3/5 for a "triumphant symphony" that remains just out of reach.

I do enjoy some Icelandic post-rock

3.5. Lovely and very appropriate for the Icelandic weather we have.

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