Sigur Rós release their fifth album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (English translation: With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly). The first song from the album, entitled 'Gobbledigook', is unveiled with a world exclusive first play on Radio 1. With a buzz… was co-produced by the band and renowned producer Flood and was recorded in New York City, London, Reykjavík and Havana, Cuba. Whereas Sigur Rós’ last release – the critically-acclaimed tour film Heima, chronicling their free tour throughout Iceland – took the band to their homeland, their newest creation, With a buzz…, is the first album in the band’s career to be made outside of Iceland. It is also their first album to feature vocalist Jón “Jónsi” Thor Birgisson’s vocals in English on one track (the remainder are sung in Icelandic).

Inspired by the unfettered feeling of the acoustic performances filmed during Heima, Sigur Rós decided to adopt a looser approach in the writing and creation of this record. The material was written, recorded and mixed entirely in 2008 and is being released just one month after completion. The album glows with the 'perfect imperfection' of live takes, the sounds of fingers playing guitar strings, cracked notes, and a stark, upfront presence not found in previous Sigur Rós recordings, moving away from the reverb-induced guitar sounds of old to something altogether more fragile and affecting. It also contains some of the most joyous music the band has ever recorded.

'Gobbledigook' sets the tone with its shifting acoustic guitars, playful vocals, time signature shifts and swirling percussion, while 'Inni mer syngur vitleysingur' ('Within me a lunatic sings') sparkles as one of the most anthemic songs Sigur Rós have ever written. 'Festival' is epic in its elation and scope, 'Illgresi' ('Weeds') features one of Jónsi’s finest vocal melodies over a lone acoustic guitar, and 'Ára bátur' ('Row boat') is the single largest musical undertaking in the band’s career, as it was recorded live at Abbey Road Studios in one take with the London Sinfonietta and London Oratory Boy’s Choir.

Disc 1