Valtari

by Sigur Ros

Overview

After taking a long break from recording new material, Sigur Ros' sixth album, Valtari, is a welcome return for the Icelandic soundscape pioneers. Their previous album Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust had been their most intimate and cheerful record to date with songs that could actually be called "songs" and the band stripping their sound down to the point where you could almost pick out individual instruments in the mix. It appears that singer Jonsi took all the sunshine and most of the pop song structure away for use in his solo career, because Valtari is a return to the epically somber and sonically all-encompassing approach the band perfected on their first few albums. Filled with giant washes of sound bathed in reverb, echoing keyboards, smears of strings, and massed backing vocals, the album ebbs and flows from giant crescendos to heartbreakingly intimate moments with Jonsi's otherworldly voice riding the waves like a mythical dolphin. Each song creates its own insular world of atmosphere and emotion that can be so intense that when they end (usually after a solid six to eight minutes), the silence makes it feel like you've been yanked harshly out of a reverie. It's a shocking sensation but it speaks to how completely the band is able to transport the listener out of the day to day and into a magical realm. As is usually the case, it's a realm of graceful melancholy that comes across as a bit gloomy, until Jonsi begins to sing in his angelic croon, that is, and you are lifted. On the surface, Valtari may seem like a step back for the band, but instead of just retreading the past, the album is one of their best; a refined display of their musical power with breathtaking dynamics and enough emotion to flood an ocean. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	07/23/2021
Label:	Krunk
UPC:	0190296785498

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sigur Ros   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Georg Holm   Primary Artist
Kjartan Sveinsson   Primary Artist
Orri Pall DyRason   Primary Artist
Jon Þor Birgisson   Primary Artist
Margret Arnadottir   Strings,Cello
Hildur Arsaelsdottir   Strings
Daniel Bjarnason   Strings
Birgir Jon Birgisson   Choir/Chorus
Palina Arnadottir   Violin,Strings
Barunn Oskmarinoesdoettir   Strings
Bjoerg Gardjarsdoettir   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Brynhildur Melot   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Eamonn Dengan   Director
Edda Ruen Olatsdoettir   Strings
Hera Eiriksdoettir   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Hildur F. Havardjardoettir   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Holmfirdur Banediktsdoettir   Vocals
Salka Þ. Svanhitardoettir   Vocals
Soeley M. Odle   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Solrun Sumerliduodoettir   Strings
Una Sveinbjarnardottir   Violin
Hildur Arsaelsdoettir   Strings
Eamonn Dougan   Director
The Sixteen   Featured Artist
Edda Run Olafsdottir   Strings
Maria Huld Markan Sigfusdottir   Strings
Sixteen   Choir/Chorus
Solrun Sumarlidjadottir   Strings
Borgar Magnason   Strings,Double Bass
Soelveig M. Gunnersdoettir   Vocals
Una Svoinbjasnardoettir   Strings
Þorunn Osk Marinosdottir   Viola
Holmfridjur Benediktsdottir   Choir/Chorus
Salka Þorra Svanhvitardottir   Choir/Chorus
Solveig Maria Gunnarsdottir   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Daniel Bjarnason   String Arrangements
Paul Evans   Mixing,Assistant
Birgir Jon Birgisson   Engineer,Recording
Elisabeth Carlsson   Assistant Engineer
Edda Ruen Olatsdoettir   String Arrangements
Inga Birgissdoettir   Artwork
Lilja Birgissdoettir   Artwork
Solrun Sumerliduodoettir   String Arrangements
Ted Jensen   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Ken Thomas   Engineer
Sigur Ros   Composer,Producer
Hildur Arsaelsdoettir   String Arrangements
Orri Pall DyRason   Group Member
Valgeir Sigurdjsson   Engineer,Recording,Mixing
Kjartan Sveinsson   Group Member
Sarah Hopper   Design
Maria Huld Markan Sigfusdottir   String Arrangements
Alex Somers   Mixing,Engineer,Additional Production
G. Holm   Group Member
J. Birgisson   Group Member
Valgeir Sigurdsson   Mixing,Recording