Sigur Ros' Fourth Album, Takk, Reminds People to Live

The first track of Sigur Ros' newest album, Takk (Thank You), gives you a fractional taste of the light and mystery that this album presents itself with. Ambient waves of sound sneak through your ears, extracting images of clear days and cold weather. The soundscapes carry you towards the ethereal lyrics of lead singer and guitarist, Jon Thor Birgisson, whose angelic voice sweetly thanks you through Icelandic tongue. There's a chill in the air of this first song, but it's the type of cold that you know exists around you when you're wrapped tightly in a thick sweater and sheepskin boots.

Slowly, the once subtle beat begins to build, thicken, and carry you through the rest of the album.

Though each and every lyric seems to be in a foreign tongue, the music, laden with crashing cymbals, piano and heavy, thumping percussion makes you feel as if you're being read the story of this new sound in your native tongue.

With a little deeper speculation, and some rough translations, the true meaning of these songs are surprising in the way that they speak of the exact way you feel when you're at your most peaceful. The album's third track, Hoppipolla (Hopping Into Puddles), speaks of whimsicle, rain-soaked love, and the extraneous rubber boots.

Having started the band together when they were only teenagers, in 1994, Sigur Ros' Takk is clearly a open, bright and shining sign of amazing things to come. Their lyrics and sounds remind you to live today, and not to take for granted the smallest beauties in life.