Jón Þór Birgisson (Jónsi), Georg Hólm, and Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson formed the group in Reykjavík, Iceland in August 1994. They soon won a record deal with a local record label, Smekkleysa (Bad Taste). In 1997, they released Von (Hope) and in 1998, released a remix collection named Von brigði. The name is Icelandic wordplay: Vonbrigði means "disappointment," but Von brigði means "hope alteration." (In English, the album is sometimes known by the alternative name "Recycle Bin.")
International acclaim came with 1999's Ágætis Byrjun ("An alright start"), for which the band were joined by Kjartan Sveinsson. The album's reputation slowly spread by word of mouth over the next two years. Soon, many critics worldwide hailed it as one of the best albums of its time, and the band was playing with Radiohead and other big names. Drummer Ágúst left the band after the recording of Ágætis Byrjun and was replaced by Orri Páll Dýrason.
After the release of Ágætis Byrjun, the band became perhaps most well known for Birgisson's signature style of playing guitar with the bow from a cello, accentuated with reverb, creating a sweeping, fluid sound that is unique for an electric guitar.
In early 2001, Sigur Rós set out to record some songs in their newly-completed álafoss swimming pool studio with their friend Steindór Andersen who is a fisherman and chairman of the Icelandic poetry society, Iðunn. Steindór is a chanter/singer of the traditional Icelandic epic poetry form, called "rímur," for which the band named their next EP, Rímur. Only 1000 copies of the EP were printed and sold in the spring tour of 2001.
In 2002, their highly anticipated follow-up album ( ) was released. Upon release, all tracks on the album were untitled, though the band later published song names on their website. Famously, all of the lyrics on ( ) are sung in vonlenska ("Hopelandic"), nonsensical vocalizations that resemble the sound of the Icelandic language. It has also been said that the listener is supposed to interpret their own meanings of the lyrics, which can then be written in the blank pages in the album booklet.
In October of 2003, Sigur Rós joined Radiohead in composing music for Merce Cunningham's dance piece Split Sides; Sigur Rós’s three tracks were named "Ba Ba," "Ti Ki," and "Di Do" and released in March of 2004 on an EP titled Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do The three songs are separate tracks, but the band intended that all three be played at the same time to form one single song. The band's 1997 debut album Von also finally found a United States and United Kingdom release in October of 2004. Their latest full-length album, Takk... (Thanks...), was released on September 13, 2005, with a free legal download of their first single, "Glósóli," made available on August 15. For North American fans, "Sæglópur" was made available for download on August 16."Hoppípolla," the second official single from Takk..., was released on November 28 alongside a new studio remake of "Hafsól," a song which was previously released on the band's 1997 debut, Von.
Sæglópur EP was released on July 10 in most parts of the world and on August 8 in the United States. Its original release date was May 8, but because of the sudden demand of "Hoppípolla," especially in the UK due to its inclusion on BBC's "Planet Earth," it was pushed back from that date. Sigur Rós recorded three new songs for the EP: "Refur," "Ófriður," and "Kafari."
The Hvarf/Heim double album was released on November 5, 2007. Hvarf contains reworkings of songs dating back to the bands' first album, whereas Heim contains live acoustic versions of more well-known songs. The double album was an accompaniment to the film Heima. Heima is a documentary showing footage of the band's tour of Iceland, including live footage and interviews. The official web site is www.heimafilm.com.
Sigur Rós has sold over 2.5 million albums worldwide.
On June 23, 2008, they released Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.
The single "Gobbledigook" was available for a free download on their website.
In January 2010, the band began a hiatus, and they are now working on new material. On August 11, 2011, the band's website showed a trailer for a project called Inni. A week later, the project was revealed to be a new live album and DVD, although the release date is currently unknown.
Sigur Rós'' sixth studio album, Valtari, was released on May 29, 2012 on Parlophone.
In January 2013, Kjartan Sveinsson left the band and was not replaced. Sigur Rós's first album following his departure was titled Kveikur and released in June 2013.
In 2014, the band made a guest appearance in the HBO show 'Game of Thrones,' performing The Rains of Castamere in the 2nd episode of the 4th season.
Websites
Both websites include discography, band trivia, song lyrics, and news: http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk and http://www.sigurros.com.
Brennisteinn
Sigur Rós Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Augnaráð
Nú stingur í
Ofbirta
Nú bræða óf
Endalok
Svo flæðir inn
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
Rennur blóð í æðum
Í skinninu
Yðar á
Krækir klónum í
Og klórar í
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
Reisum mér búkinn
Hryggjasúlan æðu
Rennur blóð í æðum
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
Reisum mér búkinn
Hryggjasúlan æðu
Rennur blóð í æðum
The lyrics of "Brennisteinn" by Sigur Rós seem to be surreal and abstract at first. However, upon closer inspection, the song appears to describe an apocalyptic scene where everything is burning, and a blinding light is causing chaos. The first verse paints a picture of cutting off eyelids to be able to endure something too bright to look at. The following verse describes the complete consumption of fire, leading to daylight cascading into the void. The third and final verse describes scratching and clawing, maybe someone trying to take something from another person. The refrain of "Ekki segja neinum frá" seems like a warning against telling anyone about what has taken place. The lines "Rennur blóð í æðum" (Blood runs in veins) conclude the song by emphasizing human nature and how it endures even when everything else is falling into chaos.
Overall, the lyrics of "Brennisteinn" convey a sense of impending doom, isolation, and the basic human instinct to survive. It's a vivid and powerful picture that Sigur Rós paints, one that is open to interpretation and speaks to the listener's own experiences, fears, and hopes.
Line by Line Meaning
Við skerum á Augnaráð
We cut at the edges of perception
Nú stingur í Ofbirta
Now pierced by the intense brightness
Nú bræða óf Endalok
Now burning uncontrollably towards the end
Svo flæðir inn Dagsbirta
So flows in the daylight
Nú teygir sig og togar Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Now stretching and pulling, and crackling at the joints
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Attempting to receive [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
And breaking down over unstable ground
Rennur blóð í æðum
Blood runs through the veins
Í skinninu Yðar á
Underneath your skin
Krækir klónum í Og klórar í
The claws are hooked and scratching
Reisum mér búkinn Hryggjasúlan æðu Rennur blóð í æðum
My stomach rises, the spine pulsates, blood runs through the veins
Ekki segja neinum frá
Don't tell anyone
Nú teygir sig og togar Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Now stretching and pulling, and crackling at the joints
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Attempting to receive [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
And breaking down over unstable ground
Reisum mér búkinn Hryggjasúlan æðu Rennur blóð í æðum
My stomach rises, the spine pulsates, blood runs through the veins
Ekki segja neinum frá
Don't tell anyone
Nú teygir sig og togar Og togna út við örmunum [?]
Now stretching and pulling, and crackling at the joints
Reyna að móttaka [?]
Attempting to receive [?]
Og brestu yfir hrapa stað
And breaking down over unstable ground
Reisum mér búkinn Hryggjasúlan æðu Rennur blóð í æðum
My stomach rises, the spine pulsates, blood runs through the veins
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORG HOLM, JON THOR BIRGISSON, ORRI PALL DYRASON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zardoxthehereticslayer208
We plunge in
A glance
Then strikes
A blinding light
Then they melt
The end
And flows in
The daylight
Now it drags and pulls
And tears out every particle
Joints ache
And crack, they are dislocated
Blood runs in the veins
In the skin
Your (skin)
It digs its claws
And lacerates
Now it drags and pulls
And tears out every particle
Joints ache
And crack, they are dislocated
We raise our bowed bodies
The spine we straighten
Blood runs in the veins
Don't tell anyone
Now it drags and pulls
And tears out every particle
Joints ache
And crack, they are dislocated
We raise our bowed bodies
The spine we straighten
Blood runs in the veins
@rodriguinhobdm20
Lyrics:
Við skerum á
Augnaráð
Nú stingur í
Ofbirta
Nú bræða óf
Endalok
Svo flæðir inn
Dagsbirta
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og tognar út úr öllum ögnum
Í liðamótum brakar
Og brestur í þau hrökkva úr stað
Rennur blóð í æðum
Í skinninu
Yðar á
Krækir klónum í
Og klórar í
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og tognar út úr öllum ögnum
Í liðamótum brakar
Og brestur í þau hrökkva úr stað
Reisum boginn búkinn
Hryggjarsúluna réttum við
Rennur blóð í æðum
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Ekki segja neinum frá
Nú teygir sig og togar
Og tognar út úr öllum ögnum
Í liðamótum brakar
Og brestur í þau hrökkva úr stað
Reisum boginn búkinn
Hryggjarsúluna réttum við
Rennur blóð í æðum
@Miselain
It really doesn't matter what brought you here. I'm just happy that more people are being introduced to Sigur Ros for the first time. I've been a fan for 10 years. I always encourage everyone to listen to them. :)
@mariofranco5258
Lol yeah I agree
@AT-ef4ui
a textpost abt ham brought me here
@sarahlings
+Miselain Thiery Mugler's Alien commercial brought me here
@hussainal-anzan4692
+Miselain
they been very famous after singing rains of castamere
@samishekh655
+Miselain please tell me if you more similar songs to this one!
@josuedelatorre35
I really hope they continue in this darker, industrial-influenced direction. I love it
@greatcoldemptiness
Lmao
@AnthonyAvery
And maybe more towards ambient house e.g., The Orb
@Metal-Possum
They didn't.