mail: daniel_fjall@hotmail.com
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( ) takk...
( ) Released: 2002 Rating: 9/10 Track listing: 1. Untitled 1/ 2. Untitled 2/ 3. Untitled 3/ 4. Untitled 4/ 5. Untitled 5/ 6. Untitled 6/ 7. Untitled 7/ 8. Untitled 8 Just as the oracle Scott Floman points out, this Icelandic group could very well have earned the title for most pretentious band around with this release. No album title, no song titles and very ambitious music. However, the music is so emotional that it immediately erases every sign of pretensions. Sigur Rós has been described as cold, wintry and beautiful. Whilst there is no denying the beauty of these compositions, the music is not quite as cold or wintry as rumor has it. The extremely atmospheric, almost cinematic, songs opens your mind free to associate it with whatever you like. Especially since most of the lyrics are in Icelandic or simply just made up to create a language of its own, ‘Hoplandish’ (supposedly a combination of Icelandic and English). When there’s no focus on the lyrics, you are left completely with the music and tender melodies. The soft echoes from the drums, guitars with a great use of reverb. The simple, but gorgeous piano lines and the lovely organ. This is the backbone to an irresistible album that proves that music can overcome language barriers and cultural differences. It’s not a diverse album, as the soothing mood rarely changes (although it shifts into a darker suit during the second half, sometimes sounding similar to big brother Radiohead’s Hail To The Thief) and the melody often returns to one main theme running through out the album. But when it is sung by the high, wonderful vocals of Jon Thor Birgisson (sometimes fitting the music so well, that you are not quite sure if it is a voice or an instrument) it doesn’t matter much. Especially during track five, which sounds like somebody saying goodbye to a lover on a deathbed. Spacey and wide, yet intimate and earthy.
Takk... Still masters of mood and still creating cinematic music. However, this time the songs are more straightforward and string sections and brass sections are kept in the front in a different way than previously. Yet, despite the writing being more traditional, Takk... might be the band’s most experimental album. There are various lines being played backwards, odd and interesting sound effects. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was experimental, but didn’t sound far out or messy because of the band’s ability to use the effects and experiments in context, making their creativity fit the songs and sounding completely natural. Sigur Rós manages to do the same thing here. The arrangements are delicately done with watery bass sounds, glockenspiel, lovely percussion work and marvelous harmony vocals. Every little detail (and there are many of those!) sounds 100% right. Takk... also is more diverse compared to ( ). There is a comfortable softness mixed with loud guitars, whispering and screams which are bound to keep the listener interested throughout. Also, the songs are melodically very strong. I wouldn’t want to pick out highlights, but feel forced to mention “Hoppípolla” and “Milanó”. Two songs consisting of pure magic and proves that (as mentioned earlier) even though the songs are more traditional this time around, the band hasn’t lost any of it’s atmospheric touch. Although there sometimes are various associations to The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Björk and Tindersticks, Takk... still sounds like Sigur Rós. And that is one hell of an accomplishment.
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