If you know me, whether it's because we've been friends for years or from occasionally reading this blog, or from listening to SmartArts on 3RRR; you'll know that the music of Iceland's Sigur Rós moves me to tears of joy. Right now I'm listening to a preview copy of the band's new album Hvarf-Heim, and loving it. (Thank you EMI, and no, I promise I won't burn it and distribute it to the world via the net: I lack the technical skills to do so even if I wanted to!).
The album, which is released in November, is an aural accompaniment to the band's concert film, Heima, which is screening at The Forum this Sunday; and which is a documentation of a two week tour Sigur Rós took around Iceland last year that featured both grand scale concerts and intimate gigs for friends and family. If you go to see the film on Sunday, you'll also see the band playing a short accoustic set and doing a Q+A with fans; following on from the live performance of Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do, accompanying the Merce Cuningham dance troupe, they're performing as part of MIAF the previous night.
Hvarf ('Disappeared') consists of five (mostly) previously unrecorded tracks: 'Salka'; the gorgeous 'Hljomalind'; 'I Gaer'; the title track of their first album, 'Von'; and the live favourite 'Hafsol', previously released as a B-side on the 'Hoppipola' single.
Heim ('Home') is a series of six intimate, still beautiful but less orchestrated versions of tracks I know and love: 'Samskeyti', 'Staralfur' (which I'm listening to right now, loving the track's rich keyboards), 'Vaka', 'Ahaetis Byrjun', 'Heysatan' and 'Von', again. In many ways these songs are even more remarkable than the band's usual, life-affirming concerts; there's a subdued beauty to them that highlights the tenderness of Jonsi's voice, the vibrancy of the music; the throbbing sweep of emotions contained within each song.
Look, it's a fucking beuatiful album, ok? And you can read more about it, the band, and Heima here, in the UK newspaper The Guardian. And if you're a fan of the band, please leave a message: myself and a mate, Darren, are going to the gig on Saturday night, and I hope to get along on Sunday as well: maybe we can meet up for an impromptu Sigur Rós appreciation society drink before or after the shows?
4 comments:
I love them.
Although I do occasionally have trouble listening to them these days after some of their songs became the theme to a much troubled and ultimately doomed relationship.
Oh. Yes to a drink, btw.
... and I missed out on tickets. So if you are looking for a +1 ...
:D
I'm ashamed to admit I've only got three of their albums on my Pod. :)
Ágætis byrjun is my all-time fave.
Hey, is the concert on Monday an additional one? (And does "allocation exhausted" mean a sell out?) (Scuse my general ignorance... I don't *do* ticket buying generally!) (LOL)
P.S. Did you see Kronos Quartet perform one of Sigur Rós's songs in its last tour? Very impressive... and suitably blissed out.
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