Sigur Ros: Starálfur
Continuing my list of the Top 10 albums of 1999, coming in at #2 is Agaetis Byrjun by Sigur Ros. I didn’t become a fan of Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros until 2004. I don’t remember how I learned of them, but I know that the first tune I heard was “Svefn-g-englar” from their 1999 album. This occurred during my post-rock obsession period, and Sigur Ros became my favorite new discovery of that time. I now listen to very few of the dozens of post-rock bands and albums that I discovered 20 years ago, but I still listen to Sigur Ros regularly. It is difficult to describe the music of the band in words. Their use of a made up language, which they call Vonlenska (Hopelandic), their sprawling excursions into dynamic shifts and atmospheric soundscapes, and the falsetto vocals of Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson can be disorienting at first listen. However, if one is willing to drift into the ethereal sonic landscape that the band creates then the benefits can be tremendous. This is music that demands attention and expands one’s understanding of the limits of popular music. While their 1997 debut album, Von, is a quality release, it is not as cohesive as their future albums. Agaetis Byrjun, on the other hand, is a masterpiece. It sounds like no music that came before it, but still pulls one into its welcoming layers of sounds and textures. After the brief but interesting opening “Intro,” the songs “Svefn-g-englar,” “Starálfur,” and “Flugufrelsarinn” create an everchanging soundscape that grabs your attention and never lets go. From there, the band presents tune after tune of post-rock perfection. By the time the 70-minute collection is over, one feels spiritually invigorated, much like the feeling one gets from viewing a collection of meaningful art. This is music for the soul. I am not a believer in the concept that important changes happen at the end of decades simply because of the dates on a calendar, but this album would be a prime example for anyone making that argument. While most of the music of 1999 sounds similar to the music of the mid-90s and early 2000s, Agaetis Byrjun feels like the start of something new; not just in music but in art in general. These songs herald the start of a new millennium better than anything else I remember from that time.
To learn more about Sigur Ros, check out their Wikipedia page.
To listen to all of the songs of the day, check out the Radio Faux Show Song of the Day playlist.
The Radio Faux Show 