Rice Boy Sleeps

If you have seen my cd wall you know I love Sigur Ros. If you know me, you know that when I love something (or, let's be honest, on occasion, someone) I can get a bit obsess-y. In the case of people it can get weird, and I try to not indulge it. In the case of music it means I can explore and be moved, and share that with other people, who hopefully also will be moved and share it forward.

There's been a note next to July 20th in my day planner (yes, I still use a book style planner. And a pen.) since February or March. It says, quite simply, Rice Boy Sleeps. To someone not sort of obsessed with all the musical magic coming out of Iceland that might sound like crazy talk, or spy code. It is neither. It is the release date of the an album by Jón Þór Birgisson and Alex Somers - aka Jonsi from Sigur Ros and his partner Alex.

To me that little entry means that an album drops that I am absolutely certain I will love.

And I am right.

I love it.

I love the the lushness of it. I love that it is so full and warm and sweeping and yet feels somehow quiet.

I love that, though I am just giving it it's first listen, it feels familiar, though not because it sounds like Sigur Ros. Because it is different. More intimate somehow. Like sharing someone's daydream.

I love that it sounds the way their art looks - which by the way I adore, and which makes me ache to be able to express myself with ink and paper.

I love that they've allowed an embed option for the music player, so I can share it with you here. Though, of course, I encourage you to visit the website and look at what they have to offer (including a little surprise for all you odd little raw foodists out there!), and of course to buy the album. It is available on Amazon, though I'll be chatting up the boys at Ditch, and hope you'll take your Benjamin's to you local record shop too.

The videos for All the Big Trees and Daniell in the Sea have been out for some time, so I've heard a few of the tracks before. They are so simple and lovely.

Jónsi & Alex - All the big trees from Jónsi & Alex on Vimeo.

Jónsi & Alex - Daníell in the sea from Jónsi & Alex on Vimeo.

It is way past the time that a more reasonable me would have packed it in and gone to bed, and I am still pretty exhausted from the excesses of sun and mountain air and, well, beer this past weekend. I am very much looking forward to crawling into my bed and letting Rice Boy Sleeps lull me into dreamy repose.

~ m