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Icelandic group Sigur Ros' new album sets forth new boundaries for the group who is often described as "enigmatic" and "melodic."  Takk is the follow up to the ( ) album and is sung in Icelandic, a first, as the band usually sings in their made up language of "Hopelandic."  The album begins with a build up of bass and keyboard leading straight into the single "Glosoli," which builds up with a quiet drum beat, as if a march is building up and it calls the other instruments such as the violin bow on the guitar which produces a reverb effect as the song progresses.  Towards the end, all of the instruments come together with the thundering beat still going in the background while the vocals come in behind it in blistering Icelandic.  

The album starts off well and keeps going straightforward without taking a break.  Songs like "Hoppipolla," with dynamic vocals and piano combined with strings and horns, help evoke a certain mood to the listener.  They seem to have lightheartedness and sadness rolled up all in one package that warm the ears of the listener all the while staying more rock oriented but still ambient and instrumental at times.  

"Gong" opens with strings and the pluck of a few guitar notes.  Then within a few seconds dives into a groove sort of jazz beat as the vocals move with the mood of the beat, ranging from gentle singing to high lamenting of the singer's voice, almost of a falsetto type.  On the song "Se Lest," in the last few minutes, a small brass ensemble is heard in the background, sounding like a Bavarian band piping a joyful tune that gives a merry element to the ending of the song.  Altogether, Takk proves to be a new realm that the band explores, inventing new ways to bring their style of music to listeners everywhere.  The album fuses more instruments than seen before in the band's music.  The piano and drum beats as well as the trademark violin bow on the electric guitar stand out especially more so in this effort than others.  It should bring back the old fans, as well as new supporters, since the songs have more of a rock feel to them while still maintaining the roots of the ambient/instrumental/experimental genre.

Paul Dean 
10/23/2005