VALTARI

"Valtari" is the 6th "regular" full-length studio album by Icelandic post rock act Sigur R's. The album was released through Parlophone in May 2012. Their last album "Me' Su' ' Eyrum Vi' Spilum Endalaust" was released in 2008, so it's safe to say that Sigur R's aren't the most productive bunch around. I guess their working pace suits their reflective and melancholic music well though.

The music on "Valtari" is slow paced, melancholic, mellow and incredibly beautiful. There's something soul searching and deeply moving about Sigur R's music, that you very rarely find in music of any sort or style. That goes for most of their output and certainly applies to "Valtari". Layers upon layers of atmospheric sounds and instruments that form the instrumental basis of the tracks and on top of it the high pitched and fervent vocals by J'nsi Birgission. It's the kind of music you get lost in. The kind of music you listen to with dreamy glassy eyes while you reflect on your life's ups and downs.

The album is well produced featuring a warm organic sound production. All in all "Valtari" is just a really great album. If I have to mention one slight issue it would be the lack of variation. Besides the closing dramatic and loud minutes of "Var''", and "Rembihn'tur" which features some rythm/percussion, most tracks sound very much alike. It's not a major issue, but a bit more variation between and in tracks would probably have made "Valtari" a even more memorable album. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.