Hvarf/Heim

Mojo - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Salka pulls off the profoundly Icelandic trick of sounding both despairingly melancholy and utterly life-affirming..." Uncut - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'Staralfur' and 'Asetis Byrjun' are plain gorgeous, allowing what are essentially protracted pop melodies to ebb and flow across the acoustic backing." Q - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'I Gaer' builds from icicle-laden wonder to snarling intensity, and positions Sigur Ros on the same spectrum of proggy nihilism as Radiohead and Pink Floyd." Alternative Press - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "Nowhere in recent memory has there been a trace of something so breathtaking, epic or even remotely inspiring as portrayed within the sweeping arrangements and frightening fragility of HVARF/HEIM." Q - Ranked #46 in Q's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2007" -- "[O]ne of their most approachable offerings....A reminder 'epic' need not be a dirty word." Spin - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "HEIM's unplugged conceit -- which spotlights vocalist Jonsi Birgisson's high, ghostly howls -- showcases the band's eerie pull." Entertainment Weekly - "[T]he Sigur Ros formula works....[A] testament to the band's ability to achieve enormous dynamic range with or without amplifiers." -- Grade: B+ The Wire - "[T]he stripped down acoustic versions of their earlier material...reveal the group's talent for simple, beautiful melodies and melancholy song..." Record Collector - 4 stars out of 5 -- "'Agaetis Byrjun' always had a heart of acoustic folk at its centre and this live version allows it to beat even more freely."

Released in conjunction with the 2007 Sigur Ros documentary Heima, the double-CD Hvarf/Heim set presents the revered Icelandic post-rock ensemble in two different settings. Hvarf consists largely of previously unreleased tracks that capture the group's majestic sound. Hvarf's companion disc, Heim, finds the act working in a pared-down acoustic vein, with Jonsi Birgisson's fragile, emotive vocals more prominently showcased in the mix. While this compilation most readily appeals to die-hard Sigur Ros fans, the first disc is dynamic enough to pull in new listeners, and the second radiates an intimate warmth, making the compilation much more than just a rarities collection. ~ Eric Schneider|