XL
Since 1999’s Ágætis byrjun Sigur Rós a.k.a. Brad Pitt’s favourite band have found remarkable mainstream success with their ambient-tinged art rock which they sing in a made-up language that no one can understand or sing along to.
The Icelandic group was on an impressive nine-year run until last year’s Valtari a sublime yet lifeless collection of non-songs that took them four years to release.
Just over a year later and one member short (Kjartan Sveinsson left earlier this year) the now trio have dropped Kveikur which marks their quickest turnaround to date. Translated as “kindle” the album definitely gets a spark from the piercing and sludgy “Brennisteinn” one of the more radical tracks they’ve done. That track is but an example of this mixed bag which seems to gather all sides of Sigur Rós. The dark “Yfirboro” finds Jónsi channelling The Knife in transforming his angelic pitch into a demonic one while “Rafstraumur” is the type of uplifting rock music that gets Cameron Crowe horny.
Almost immediately Kveikur assures you that Valtari was a simple misstep. By the end this album convinces you that it’s Sigur Rós’ most extensive and varied to date.
