Sigur Rós ÁTTA review
Music, Sounds

Sigur Rós, ÁTTA: REVIEW

by Dave MacIntyre

“The first album in a decade for the Icelandic band, who continue to make truly sweeping, gorgeous and grandiose music like it’s nothing at all.”

Sigur Rós, ÁTTA (Von Dur/BMG)

If any band can make truly sweeping, gorgeous and grandiose music like it’s nothing at all, it’s Sigur Rós. The Icelandic band’s first album since 2013’s Kveikur — and first since the return of keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson — is an hour-long odyssey backed by a full orchestra, and showcasing many of the band’s long-established musical strengths. Their eighth studio album (the title ÁTTA means “eight” in their native tongue) also eschews drums almost entirely, save for a pounding bass drum almost like a heartbeat on “Klettur.” Frontman Jónsi has said the band’s intention was for the songs to sound “sparse, floaty and beautiful,” and they’ve definitely understood that assignment. Though that strategy means ÁTTA is somewhat lacking in range, and it’s not particularly different from what we’ve heard from them before, it still feels damn good to hear Sigur Rós make proper albums again. 8/10 Trial Track: “Blóðberg”

“Blóðberg” by Sigur Rós

For more on Sigur Rós, please visit their website.

This review was originally published in the July issue of Cult MTL.

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Posted in Music, Sounds

by Dave MacIntyre

Contributing editor for Music
Dave MacIntyre is a Montreal-based freelance journalist. His primary topic of interest is music, but is equally comfortable writing about sports, current events, and Montreal-related initiatives. Outside of Cult MTL, his bylines can be found in publications like BeatRoute and Northern Transmissions. And no, he is not related to Reba, nor to the WWE wrestler Drew, nor to Joey from New Kids on the Block.