44. ( ) by Sigur Ros

By: Laurie McGregor

				( ) by Sigur Rós

( ), the 2002 follow up to Sigur Rós' 2000 release, Ágætis Byrjun, comes from a much darker and more exposed place. Perhaps a slightly less accessible album in some ways—it's written entirely in their invented language Hopelandic, and none of the tracks are named—it is nonetheless a stellar work of ambient minimalism.

The soaring lyrics, intense buildups, and mesmerizing string arrangements create a surreal dreamscape full of powerful emotions. It is an album that drops the listener into another word entirely—a cold and tough seeming world, but one that feels slightly hopeful, with light peeking in from the end of a very long tunnel.


Video: "Untitled # 1" by Sigur Rós