Sigur Rós has been putting out a distinctly ethereal brand of rock music since the late '90s, and their intense concert performances, often augmented by a backing string section, have drawn heaps of critical acclaim. Aside from an official concert recording last year, the band has been mostly silent since their last studio album, 2008's
Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, as its members have tended to family and individual music pursuits.
Throughout its eight songs, Valtari (which translates to "steamroller") will feature more electronics than previous efforts, but Sigur Rós has made it clear that this won't be a "dance" record. Bassist Georg Hólm said the album is like “looking at an old landscape painting,” and frontman Jónsi said it was like “an avalanche in slow motion.”