Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Sigur Ros / Soundtracks and Performances

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Sigur Ros

Sigur Ros have created some of the most beautiful work in the last decade. They've simultaneously captured melancholy, hope and beauty at the same time. Below are some of their recordings with Icelandic musician, composer and art director, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson.



Englar Alheimsins (Angels of the Universe), with Sigur Rós.
Soundtrack to the film by F. Þ. Friðriksson.
Released 2000

try it

in january 2000, sigur rós headed to the studio to record two cover songs to be featured on their ný batterí release. when they finished them, they were contacted by the producers of an icelandic film called englar alheimsins and asked to contribute two songs to the film. having just completed two songs, this seemed like more than a coincidence ("it was as if it was controlled from above" kjartan has said) so they immediately handed these two songs to the producers. as mentioned before, these two songs, bíum bíum bambaló and dánarfregnir og jarðarfarir (death announcements and funerals) are covers of songs that have lived deep in the consciousness of icelanders for many generations.

bíum bíum bambaló is an old icelandic lullaby that has travelled for generations through word of mouth. this is the first time that it is recorded. dánarfregnir og jarðarfarir is sigur rós' rockish version of an organ theme that has been played for decades on the icelandic radio station when deaths and funeral arrangements are announced. this song has been labelled post-rock by brits, but jónsi calls it theme music, as everyone in iceland recognises this theme.

dánarfregnir og jarðarfarir jumped straight to #1 on icelandic charts. the film englar alheimsins (angels of the universe) was also massively successful and has been hailed almost unanimously by critics as the best icelandic film ever made. it's directed by the academy award nominated director friðrik þór friðriksson and is about a man who is losing his mind. dánarfregnir og jarðarfarir is played near the end of the film in a scene in which this man is frustrated. bíum bíum bambaló plays during the end credits. the film is scored by hilmar örn hilmarsson.

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson / Children of Nature Soundtrack
Rekeased 1996

try it

The music is composed and performed by Hilmar Orn Hilmarson (HOH) from Island and some of the songs are also avalible with fine lyrics on the Current 93 album "Island". The songs are as beautiful as anything ever gets. Just try the samples and you will get a pretty good idea of what I'm talking about. Pure love. Pure instrumental beauty.- (review on Amazon.com)

Steindór Andersen / Rímur ep
Released 2001

try it

in early 2001, sigur rós set out to record some songs in their newly-completed álafoss swimming pool studio with their friend steindór andersen. steindór andersen is a fisherman and chairman of the icelandic poetry society, called iðunn. steindór is a chanter/singer of the traditional icelandic epic poetry form called rímur. rímur are narrative poems which generally tell stories of icelandic heroes and epic battles which have been passed down generations in iceland through word-of-mouth since the 14th century. rímur were regarded as a performance art; a good rímur chanter would engage his listeners with his clever rhyming schemes and catchy melodies. rímur were performed on winter nights when inhabitants sat occupied by their work (making clothing from wool, wreathing horsehairs into ropes, cutting tools from wood, etc.) for seven centuries, this was icelanders' only branch of entertainment and it's only recently that this tradition has dissolved.

the steindór andersen ep contains six songs, three of which sigur rós accompany him on. two songs feature steindór alone and the last song on the cd is steindór and his friend sigurður sigurðarson singing the poem lžkurinn (the stream), recorded under the bridge of the stream by sigur rós's studio.Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Sigur Ros / Odin's Raven Magic
Recorded 2002

try it

odin's raven magic by sigur rós and felix award winner hilmar ùrn hilmarsson was previewed at the barbican center in 2002 and premiered at reykjavík arts festival may 24th 2002, as one of its highlights. it will be performed at grande halle de la villette in paris on september 28th and 29th. the occasion is an icelandic cultural event in paris named 'islande, de glace & de feu' which will be held september 27th - october 10th.

odin's raven magic, which was produced by the reykjavík arts festival, was awarded the prize of best music piece in iceland 2002 and was nominated for the nordic council music prize 2003. the same year the piece was performed to full houses in norway at the trondheim arts festival. the performances of odin's raven magic have received rave reviews.