ALBUM: Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps

There are many words that spring to mind around this side-project of Sigur Ros' lead singer Jonsi Birgisson: Ambient, Ethereal, other-wordly and erm... bindun?

While admittedly the compositions are more stripped back than the full band, they feature Sigur Ros' string section Amiina, the occasional choir, and a penchant for the epic. A return to Sigur Ros pre-Takk without any of their darkness. But the overall sound is pretty darn similar, complete with twisted pianos and rewinded reverb.

That being said, it still is an amazingly beautiful and intimate record, whose only real reference points being the aforementioned Sigur Ros, undisputed kings of their own "Slow-motion Rock" as well as the softer ends of "post-rock" veterans such as Explosions in the Sky or Godspeed You Black Emperor. But even Godspeed's quietest lolloping is much too busy being grand and epic to be compared to the sonic beauty on display here.

While songs by other artists seem to have been made longer in the name of being "EPIC", these songs, with many clocking in over 8 minutes, are long because that's exactly what they need. A record made by lovers, but not necessarily for them.

For those already fans of Sigur Ros, there's not huge amount of new ideas here, yet what is here is still extremely enjoyable. For those who aren't yet acquainted with those Icelandic masters, this is another example of how you are really missing out.

8/10

Riceboy Sleeps is out now in Europe on EMI/Parlophone.

New múm album!

As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to go to Iceland. And ever since I saw the Kings of of Icelandic music Sigur Ros' documentary "Heima", I've REALLY wanted to go to Iceland. One of the standout albums of 2007 to me was múm's Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy, who had only come to my attention thanks to their association with the aforementioned Sigur Ros and my then obsession with Queen of Icelandic music Bjork.

I don't know if its the lack of trees (or indeed, looking like anywhere else on Earth, at all), the fashion for wearing thick knitted jumpers or their relative remoteness, but all the music produced in Iceland has its own unique style and sensibility.

So when I heard that múm were releasing a new album, literally some ten minutes ago, I couldn't wait to post a vacuous raving blog post about my love of Icelandic music. As you may have guessed from the picture above, it will be called Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know and continues their vein of quirky indie folk.

I've heard opening track "If I Were A Fish", which is not only amazingly titled, but sounds amazing too.

Sing Along To Songs You Don't Know is released on August 24.