The Icelandic quartet known as Sigur Ros do not trade in traditional verse chorus verse middle 8 pre chorus rideout school of arranging. Their songs (and all songs on () are untitled and sung in the Hopelandic language, which was invented by their singer/guitarist Jonsi) seem to rise up from a well of soul, rise ever upward to spill out into your listening environment like light.

() sounds like Pink Floyd's aura made a record. The CD opens with the hymnlike '1', which uncoils in sleepy circles until the organ, guitar and keening vocals break through a wall of glass that feels like an army of lovers storming the gates of Heaven with flowers in their hair. '2' reminds me of a Big Star Third out-take and, even with the nonsensical lyric, imparts a feeling of loss and slow healing. '3' kicks in a little on the Radiohead tip, the comparison is really unavoidable as there are so few bands mining this particular strip on sonic/psyche.

The addition of a string quartet and what sounds like sampled loops of crying kittens that pervade this record lend a melancholy air and a subtle sophistication just this side of sadness.

() is a perfect record for communing with the world one lives in and makes the day, for me, a little easier to put up with. Far from new age musical wallpaper, () is a sonic environment that makes ebbs and flows and darts and slithers with a life of it's own, a life worth sharing.
 
 

• Visit the Official website.
• Listen to samples and Purchase this CD online

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