Country : United States Label : BMG Genres and styles : Ambient Pop / Post-Rock Year : 2023

Sigur Rós – ÁTTA

· by Varun Swarup

Sigur Rós, the renowned sonic explorers from Iceland, return with their latest release after a decade-long hiatus, ÁTTA. With their eighth studio album, Sigur Rós venture into a more ambient territory while maintaining their distinctive post-rock sound. As one would expect from a Sigur Rós release, there are plenty of stunning moments on offer but, when taken as a whole, ÁTTA seems to suffer from being a little too ambient for its own good.

One of the salient aspects of ÁTTA is the band’s incorporation of chamber arrangements and orchestral textures. Sigur Rós has always been known for their ethereal and atmospheric soundscapes, but here they embrace a more grandiose and expansive approach with the addition of strings and electronics too. The orchestral elements are a welcome addition and they add a certain warmth and depth to their music, providing a heightened sense of drama and emotional resonance. Of course since 2013’s Kveikur, which had a strong industrial vibe to it, a lot has happened, and ÁTTA  is clearly a product of the constant despairing we seem to now live in. However, amidst this orchestral and ambient direction, the album suffers from a lack of focus. 

The songs meander through vast ethereal soundscapes and the lack of any drum parts or any really narrative to follow doesn’t help either. While this ambiguity might be deliberate and reflective of the album’s message, it often leaves the listener yearning for more defined melodies or structures to hold onto. As a result, ÁTTA can feel somewhat formless and sprawling, making it challenging to fully engage with the music on a deeper level. That said, there are still moments of genuine beauty scattered throughout the album. Tracks like “Klettur” and “8” serve as reminders of the band’s creative brilliance and mastery in crafting highly cinematic and emotionally charged music.

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter