Sigur Ros never fails to amaze, and while singles are a usually a thing for diehards and completists, Sigur Ros makes their package attractive enough for anyone to pick up. As the second single off their most recent album, “Sagelopur” is perhaps one of the most interesting tracks on the record. It begins with the piano-infused melancholy sounds typical of the band, but descends into an explosion of noises that are somehow discordant and yet enveloping with harmony at the same time.
Joining the track are three “b-sides” not found on the album. “Refur” is a bit of a short interlude instrumental piece. The symphonic, string-heavy “O Fridur” is a slower Sigur Ros song (even for them), but sounds like it was pulled from the earlier catalog. The final b-side available on this disc, “Kafari,” is a quiet instrumental piece to close out the single. Each of the three non-album tracks maintani the same feeling and style of the disc, creating a bit of an appendix to the record.
As with their earlier “Untitled” single release, the band included their three most recent music videos on the disc, a welcome addition for anyone interested in a unique visual experience. While not the most ground breaking music video form out there, the stories and abstract elements of Sigur Ros’ videos have always made them bittersweet. They typically evoke either sadness with a tinge of glee (such as the young boy that drowns, yet is ecstatic) or a political edge (such as the video, not included in this collection, of young children playing in snow made of ash). Either way, with the background of three of the best tracks on the latest album (Saeglopur, Hoppipolla, Glosoli), the videos are an added bonus to an already worthwhile disc. |