Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

[4/5]



Who would have thought Sigur Rós–the Icelandic outfit known for their slow-motion ambient pop fueled by plenty of sustain pedals and an arbitrary language of their own creation–had a sense of humor. The first song on their new disc, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (translated as “With A Buzz In Our Ears, We Play Endlessly”) is called “gobbledigook,” a descriptive term most folks encountering the band for the first time might use. But instead of a smorgasbord of layered drones, the song is powered by tribal stomping, a brisk acoustic guitar and singer Jónsï Birgisson’s falsetto warbling while a chorus of Robin Hood’s “merry men” shore him up with some “li-li-li” backing. (Think Arcade Fire meets Killing Joke’s “Exit”). It’s followed by the second song on the disc, “Gobbledigook.” Catch the difference? Listen to the tracks and see if you can find the sonic equivalent to an uppercase letter.



Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (thank you, Apple, for cut-n-paste text-positioning) is evidence the quartet have ever-so-slightly navigated the tides of change. But don’t worry: Sigur Rós still remain an acquired taste, so it’s doubtful that any nods to “Western pop sensibility” will somehow send their popularity toward the rings of Saturn. The nine-and-a-half minute “Festival” is Birgisson and Kjarri Sveinsson’s church organ creating a solemn atmosphere. Halfway through, the band’s keen sense of dynamics kicks in as drummer Orri D´yrason plays double-time through the multi-layered keyboard/horn/string arrangements. The acoustic “Illgressi” wouldn’t be out of place butting against Radiohead’s “Knives Out” with its mix of melancholy and uncertainty. And after four albums, the band finally make their first foray into the Queen’s English with “All Alright,” but given Birgisson’s alternating trademark falsetto and subdued low-register intonation, you’ll still need a lyric sheet to decipher his intentions.



There was a time when Sigur Rós’ shifting soundscapes required the listener’s personal mythology to determine both the tone and aesthetic success of the band’s output. With Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust’s studied arrangements and diversity find the band in the process of rejuvenation. The day is coming where Sigur Ros will get as much credit as Radiohead does these days. (XL) Jason Pettigrew