“A contemplation of mystery and transcendence”

Sigur Rós Redeems the Music Video:

I cannot stomach MTV to this day. For me, “Glósóli” was the redemption of music video. Music and cinema are fused creatively in the hands of Sigur Rós. Most music videos are obviously a commercial advertisement for an album, when a song should be able to stand alone as a work of art. Sigur Rós accomplished an exquisite piece of non-commercial art with magical visuals deep enough for a big screen, and even a redemptive melody. Between bookends of music box chimes, the intellectual, post-rock song quietly, steadily crescendoes to a climax — Birgisson’s ethereal voice like another instrument — perfectly matching the pace of the video. The melody makes the ache of melancholy beautiful. I love the entire album (Takk), but I both listen to and watch “Glósóli” repeatedly and never grow weary. From comments I’ve read online, I’m not the only one mesmerized by the video — it’s as if we all recognize that there is a song of the Other guiding us on our pilgrimage; we are a people acquainted with sorrow, yet also with triumph.

You can watch the video here.