ÁGÆTIS BYRJUN

"Ágætis byrjun" (English translation "A good beginning") is the 2nd full-length studio album by Islandic post-rock act Sigur Rós (not counting the remix album "Von Brigði" (1998)). The album was released through Icelandic label Smekkleysa in June 1999, and became a highly successful release in their native country, leading to the album being picked up by independent English label FatCat Records for an international release in 2000.

Sigur Rós 1997 debut album "Von" is an ambient affair, featuring uncompromising and not particularly accessible post-rock, but Sigur Rós opted for a more compromising approach on "Ágætis byrjun". The music is still highly ambient, ethereal, and dreaming in nature, but it also features both vocal and instrumental melodic hooks, making it a much more asseccible release than its direct predecessor.

Drums/percussion are used sparingly (and when they appear they are typically subdued and placed low in the mix, although there are a few exceptions with louder more dominant drumming), and much of the music is build around lead vocalist Jónsi Birgisson's emotional vocal delivery (both tenor and high pitched falsetto) and his cello-bowed guitarwork and occassional use of orchestration (mostly strings, but also the occassional use of horns). bass and keyboards are also instruments used on the album to create the ambient soundscape. The lyrics are in Icelandic (except for the lyrics on "Olsen Olsen", which are performed in a made-up language), but the deep melancholy and burning passion are impossible not to be affected by, regardless if you understand what is being sung.

I hear many different influences on "Ágætis byrjun", but I´d mention artists like Radiohead, Talk Talk (listen to the first couple of minutes of "Ný Batterí" to hear that reference), The Cure (listen to the opening section of "Olsen Olsen") as some of them. A couple of times I was also strongly reminded of Robert Wyatt.

"Ágætis byrjun" features a gorgeous, detailed, and very well sounding production job, courtesy of Ken Thomas, who were introduced to Sigur Rós through his previous work with The Sugarcubes. Kudos must be given to Thomas for creating such a perfect sounding environment for Sigur Rós music to shine to maximum effect. Upon conclusion "Ágætis byrjun" is a giant step up on quality and accessibility compared to "Von" (1997) and it deservedly put Sigur Rós on the international music map and ignited their career. A 4.5 star (90%) rating is deserved.