( )

by

Sigur Rós

Edit

Bassist Georg Holm has once said in an interview that Sigur Ros weren't a political band, and didn't necessarily have too much to say, other than the fact that they wanted to communicate emotion (subconscious, unconscious) through their instruments. Perhaps this is why the band chose to leave absolutely no credits or lyrics in the sleeve for ( ) (2002).

You don't necessarily need written lyrics (or titles) for this intense experience. Just close your eyes, slip into this 72-minute slice of nirvana, and follow whatever feeling states draw to the surface as you listen. Like the icy-looking cover art, this music is the equivalent of a Winter night, and the thoughts and emotions that are conjured with it: cold, beautiful, dreamy, poignant, nocturnal, encircling, haunting and soothing. While the music is "cold," it isn't cold in an unemotional sense, as the album features nothing but overflowing emotion. The soundcapes are mellow, lush and elegant, while the instrumentation is generally used in ambient fashion, which allow certain atmospheres to be created more effectively. And added to this, the tracks are mostly extended, so the album is probably not recommended for listeners who want quick blasts of aggression, or who want short, catchy pop tunes.

As far as my personal interpretation of the album, or what it conjures through me? I see it as an album divided into two halves (which can also be equivalent to the two parentheses): The first four tracks comprising the "(" half seem like the equivalent of a lonely Winter night, featuring a long snow-capped landscape, and the stars shining at their brightest above. Winter and snow in general remind me of hope, longing, and the necessity (as opposed to luxury) of love, which are what I'm reminded of when listening to the first four tracks. The music in this half is generally the more lush, elegant, dreamy, nocturnal and mellow. Track 3 happens to be my favorite, as an elegant piano chord is repeated constantly, and used for atmospheric proportions, while the basslines ascend in a particular pattern, and lush orchestration tops it off to create an aura of bliss.

The ")" half features soundscapes that remind me of a misty dawn: a somewhat murky sunrise. While the first half seemed generally more nocturnal, there seems to be a diurnal (morning) presence on the second half: night is calm, day is active. Piano was the dominant instrument in the first half, while the second one hears the guitar dominating. This half tends to get more tense, aggressive and somewhat restless in atmosphere, and also features guitar feedback/distortion not heard in the first. Track 7 sees vocalist Jonsi using a pitch in his voice that was not heard at all in the first half.

This album is so dear to my heart for it's ethereal, calming, encircling, evocative and emotional nature. Atmospheric music for escapism, reading, relaxing, lovemaking and possible other pastimes. For best results, listen at nighttime, turn down all of the lights, and light up a few candles. Remember to relax, close your eyes, and let the music take you where it may. Enjoy.

By the way, here are the supposed songtitles that weren't listed in the sleeve:

1. Vaka

2. Fyrsta

3. Samskeyti

4. Njósnavélin

5. Alafoss

6. E-bow

7. Dauðalagið

8. Popplagið

This album is weird. Sigur Ros have created the kind of antimatter of bloated concept records with this one. The album is essentially untitled, as are all the songs; the packaging contains no writing aside from the band name written neatly on the front; the "lyrics" are in a made up language known as "Hopelandic," which basically means they're gibberish, which each individual listener is meant to interpret into whatever s/he wants. Ladies and gentlemen, this album is about nothing but the music itself.

So what is the music like? Well, Sigur Ros, along with Mogwai and Godspeed You Black Emperor! form the holy trinity of an emerging genre dubbed by some as "post-rock." This translates to long songs (the shortest of the 8 tracks on this album is over 6 and a half minutes) that are slow and drawn out (I'm talking like 20bpm here). The sounds sometimes seem very intimate and breathy, and at others, create vast sonic landscapes that leave the listener feel dwarfed and helpless. The instrumentation blends very well together, and creates rich sonic paintings, and the vocals are quite pleasing and blend like just another instrument.

There is also a bit of a duality to this album, as the ( ) label somewhat suggests. The first half of the record creates a much softer, more uplifting aural picuture. The second half, on the other hand, is much more melancholic and feels far more cold and alien. Though it's really hard to pick favourites off a record like this, tracks 3 and 7 stand out in my mind, for whatever reason.

Of course, an album like this is not for everyone, for sure. I suspect many casual music fans will be bored stiff or just plain weirded out by this; it would be very soporific to anyone looking for a catchy tune or even a traditional song structure. It's also not a record that one can just throw on at any old time; this album is a mood piece for sure.

However, if you're feeling adventurous, grab a copy, turn off the lights, get some headphones and drift off to the strange, fantastical world of the Sigur Ros.