Finally, proof that Sigur Rós inhabit the same planet as the rest of us. For the longest time the Icelandic quartet has appeared unnatural and otherworldly, largely thanks to their knack for crafting exceedingly gorgeous, ethereal pop. Singer Jonsi Birgisson hasn’t helped make the band any more human — not only is his voice preternaturally beautiful, he sings in a mix of Icelandic and a made-up tongue, both of which sound utterly foreign to western ears.
Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust (“With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly”) seems determined to fight this image, at least at first. Opener “Gobbledigook” is the most obvious departure, all rhythmic acoustic guitar, hand-claps and driving percussion — the band has never sounded as purely physical as they do on this track. “Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur” follows, riding propulsive drums and a major-key melody to an expression of pure joy. Combined with cover art depicting naked young men running through a pastoral landscape, the first two songs come across as a mission statement, a promise of a new direction.
Old habits die hard, though, and it’s not long before Sigur Rós head back into familiar territory. The nine-minute-plus “Festival” builds slowly, meandering around Birgisson’s typically pretty (if somewhat aimless) vocals before reaching a particularly satisfying orchestral climax. Two songs later, “Ára Bátur” repeats the same trick — it’s equally cathartic, but in context feels almost redundant. The title track, situated between the two nine-minute epics, strikes a near-perfect balance between the band’s old and new styles — not as grounded as the opening duo, but concise and all the more affecting for it.
Still, the promise of the opening songs overshadows the rest of the album. It’s been almost a decade since the band released Ágætis Byrjun, which held the immaculate “Svefn-G-Englar,” still the band’s crowning achievement. While subsequent releases tweaked elements of that album, they’ve been tangents more than true leaps forward. Just compare “Gobbledigook” with Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust’s last track, “All Alright.” The latter may be the first Sigur Rós song to feature English lyrics, but Birgisson’s vocals render the words almost unintelligible, and the song remains as beautifully aloof as ever. “Gobbledigook” doesn’t just give the band a new language to work with, it opens up a whole new world.
