Ever since Sigur Rós took
their breathtakingly beautiful, otherworldly-sounding compositions to an
international stage in 1999, they have been heading towards a sound governed
less by their Icelandic roots and more by their innate ability to create songs
that resonate on an emotional level. Whereas Ágætis Byrjun and ( ) made strong use of the band’s foreign sensibilities,
subsequent albums began to rely less on this aspect, with the songwriting taking
precedence. Yet Sigur Rós have not often dared to venture too far out of their
comfort zone, with last year’s ambient-leaning Valtari honing in on the more minimalist elements of their
signature sound.
If Brennisteinn is any indication, all that is about to change. With
the upcoming release of their seventh studio album Kveikur later this year, Brennisteinn
points towards an overall darker and sludgier sound that the band has not
channelled since the second half of 2002’s untitled masterpiece. The title
track, which is also due to appear as the opener on the new album, sees Sigur
Rós experimenting with harsher, more abrasive electronic elements grating over
the top of Jónsi’s trademark vocals. Conflicting aspects such as these have
only been used sparingly in the past but here Jónsi’s falsetto shines through
the haze like a ray of light and it works brilliantly. The same can be said of
“Hryggjarsúla” which sounds more like the kind of droning nightmare Michael
Gira would conjure up rather than anything from the band’s back catalogue. Finally,
instrumental track “Ofbirta” hearkens back to the dark ambient style of Von, perhaps the most ominous Sigur Rós
had sounded prior to this.
Although no two albums
of theirs sound exactly alike, this is the first time we are really hearing
something of a reinvention from the group. As just a small taste of what’s to
come, Brennisteinn certainly achieves
its goal of whetting the appetite and fans will have to wait another few months
before getting to hear the final product.
Rating: 7/10
(Originally posted on sputnikmusic.com: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/55952/Sigur-Ros-Brennisteinn/)
Rating: 7/10
(Originally posted on sputnikmusic.com: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/55952/Sigur-Ros-Brennisteinn/)
I have always been a big fan of this group. This is a great view and so great that you are giving such bands exposure because they definitely need it.
ReplyDeleteI love the darker, more bass driven sound that they have on the new album, i can also definitely hear industrial vibes as well.
Awesome, keep it up!