Posted on: May 28, 2012 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The title track for “Takk” is very atmospheric, using synthesizers to really add a bold, brooding body to the beginning of this disc. Incorporating melodic, almost-instrumental sounding vocals to “Glosoli”, the most curious thing about Sigur Ros on the track is that everything sounds so experimental but the track is truly beholden to typical tempo and progression (in terms of arrangement). Sigur Ros puts forth a challenging face but really tricks its audience into believing that they are at the cutting-edge of a new “Hopelandic” genre; reality dictates that this deep-down pop-influenced sound will enjoy success regardless of aural googahs added to it.

Everything on “Takk” sounds so hopeful, the instrumentation so solid on tracks like “Hoppipolla”, that individuals cannot help but wonder at the compositions contained within. The tracks vacillate between long and short; however, there is deifinitely a thread present on “Takk” that makes each composition so completely involve its listener that one will be shocked when the disc ends so “quickly”. The disc, from “Hoppipolla” to “Se Lest”, maintains some certain amount of classically-driven pop-music (couched with a dreamy sound); Sigur Ros is smart enough to bring eleven distinctly different outputs to this disc. “Gong” seems to be the most different track on “Takk”; the scatter-shot drum beat that opens up the track seems closely aligned with the spastic sounds of Travis Barker while the vocals elicit “Kid A”-era Radiohead and Modest Mouse.

Topping the scales at over an hour, there is no denying the fact that “Takk” is a trip; something to zone out to on headphones rather than blasting in a car during a road trip. Nuance is able to be explored to its logical conclusion, as the slower tempo and looking length of the songs really give a broad canvas for Sigur Ros to work on, and while there is some aural similarity on the disc, the fact is that enough things have changed between tracks like “Gong” and “Andvari” to keep listeners interested. Without much in the way of a lyrical tie to the band (again, since the lyrics are in a foreign language), the idea of the disc as really a concept album fades. However, there is no argument here that this is a cohesive album that ends in a way much more contemplative and introspective than the hopeful “Glosoli” would forecast for the disc. Still, a beautiful album that will take listeners on a journey that all will appreciate.

Top Tracks: Glosoli, Hoppipolla

Rating: 6.5/10

Sigur Ros – Takk / 2005 Geffen / 11 Tracks / http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk / http://www.geffen.com / Reviewed 04 October 2005

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