August 3, 1999

Reykjavik Laugardalsholl

[a]Sigur Ros[/a] are part [B]Spiritualised[/B] and part [a]Enya[/a] with the immense epic sonic vistas of [B]God Speed You Black Emperor[/B]...

It's a long flight North, all the way rigid bodies deflating as we put a couple of oceans between us and the ultra violet nightmare of Ebitzer and August in Gotham. We arrive sometime in November and the Elves are singing.

It's Sigur Ros's Polar magnetism that's brought us here to this Sports Hall tonight. Vocalist and guitarist Jon Por (Thor) Birgisson is that rare Space Bat Angel Dragon whose equipped with an emotional thermometer in his larynx. Turning the dial from cold Jack Frost frozen sky indifference to a laser hot blast of intensity.

Sigur Ros have been number one here for months with their third album. It's not difficult to see why. Birgisson's so thin that if he turns sideways he disappears from the stage, adding to the spell and mystique of this band who sing in their own language, Hopelandic. Like the Cocteau Twins "baby talk" but electrified with the slow draw of violin bow across supercharged Stratocaster. During imminent UK EP 'Svefn-G-Englar' Birgisson actually sings into the pick ups and we anticipate it 's imminent spontaneous combustion.

Sigur Ros are part Spiritualised and part Enya with the immense epic sonic vistas of God Speed You Black Emperor. The Northern Lights are blazing bright again.