Even on the darkest days, we can find radiant pockets of space in our minds. ‘First Light’, the fourth studio album from Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi, is studded with the momentary glimpses of bliss — it’s a meditative antidote to grey recesses and modern malaise.
While originally intended as the soundtrack for a video game, ‘First Light’ blossomed into something unique for the Icelandic musician, who worked in conjunction with the music and wellness platform Myndstream.
While Sigur Rós can sometimes be accused of treading familiar ground, Jónsi has always struck a more singular tone on his solo records. Duly, he sounds unshackled here.
This is beautifully simple music — a place where major keys and lustrous orchestral swells reverberate, while sounds of nature tether the music to its earthy core. There is an unburdened sense of calm on tracks such as Forrest Trill, which dynamically ebbs and flows, while Floweret is imbued with a percussive sort of courage.
Jónsi's voice, though, is notable by its absence. While it was the cornerstone of his impeccable solo debut ‘Go’, and integral to its more collaborative follow up ‘Shiver’, his falsetto falls silent on ‘First Light’, only drawing further focus towards the majesty and mystique of the music.
If previous releases found Jónsi looking hopefully into the future, optimistic that better days lie ahead, this record sounds like a realisation that utopia can be achieved right now — even if it only lasts a second, it is enough to pierce the gloom. If, as Mark Mason posits, happiness is a human construct that doesn’t really exist, then why shouldn’t we find contentment in the here and now? On ‘First Light’, that feels exactly like what Jónsi has done.
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