valgeir sigurðsson - ekvílibríum

.:: Ekvílibríum is Valgeir Sigurðsson's debut album, but here he has revealed that as well as being a gifted producer, engineer and musician, he is equally skillful as a crafter of songs and instigator of a cascade of emotions.

Valgeir is joined by a number of guest musicians on Ekvílibríum, such as Samuli Kosminen on drums and Nico Muhly who plays piano. The album also features vocal performances from Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, who helps craft 2 of the songs, as well as Faun Fables' Dawn McCarthy and J. Walker aka Machine Translations.


.:: If you’re not sure where you’ve seen Valgeir Sigurdsson’s name before, check the credits on Björk’s Vespertine and Medulla albums. Also an Icelandic native, he has been a longtime collaborator with Björk, but is just getting around to sharing his own work with the world. Ekvílibríum marks Sigurdsson’s debut album, and it is well worth the wait. Right from the opening sounds of “A Symmetry,” his input on Björk’s full-lengths is evident. Lo-end frequencies threaten to tear your speakers in half while music box tones dance across staccato static bursts on “Focal Point.”

Guest musicians and vocalists enhance the humanity behind the machines to great effect. Bonnie “Prince” Billy penned the lyrics for “Evolution of Waters” and “Kin,” turning in soul-stirring vocal performances on both. J. Walker evokes poetic imagery on “Baby Architect” with an understated singing voice that fits Sigurdsson’s intimate compositions perfectly. Ultimately the album’s strength is in Sigurdsson’s arrangements – painstaking in detail, yet fluid to the listening ear. Ekvílibríum is a triumph for his Bedroom Community imprint and no doubt will find its way onto a number of year-end lists for 2007.
Jason Randall Smith


.:: Born and raised in Iceland Valgeir Sigurdsson is a studio-collaborator in the broadest sense and an artist in his own right. Valgeir has been honing his craft in the recording studio since finding a home in a small basement studio in Reykjavik as a teenager. He studied classical guitar and attended the SAE college in London, and upon return to Iceland he was active with various local bands and as a freelance engineer and producer.

Drawing from a solid musical and technical background and a wealth of experience gained from diverse and demanding projects, Valgeir applies a combination of classic production techniques and digital surgery. He's recognized for making heavily textured electronic soundscapes and beats and for his unique ability 'to melt cold electronics into warm acoustics'.

In 1997 he set up his own studio, the Greenhouse, which in the year 2000 was relocated and built to spec as a creative hub for Valgeir and visiting collaborators. Continually improving and upgrading, the studio was equipped in 2005 with a brand new SSL desk, two full Pro Tools HD systems and a host of analogue outboard including Neve EQ's and many classic compressors. Although the Greenhouse is Valgeir's home base and studio of choice he continues to work anywhere in the world a given project requires.

In 1998 Björk invited Valgeir to perform programming and engineering duties on her Dancer In the Dark soundtrack and Selmasongs album, this was the start of a working-relationship that continued until 2006 and resulted in 4 albums (Selmasongs, Vespertine, Medúlla, Drawing Restraint 9) including 2 film scores and numerous other projects which Valgeir was involved with in varying capacity.

After finishing Björk's soundtrack for Matthew Barney's Drawing Restraint 9 film it was time to strike out in new directions, direct more focus into his own writing and set up a fully fledged boutique label, Bedroom Community. Since he has also produced and engineered albums for Will Oldham (under his Bonnie 'Prince' Billy moniker), CocoRosie, Maps (nominated for a Mercury-award in 2007), French songstress Camille and Norwegian/Swedish singer/songwriter Ane Brun as well as classical composer Nico Muhly, avant-garde electronic musician Ben Frost and folk singer Sam Amidon all of whom are signed to Valgeir’s label.

In September 2007 Valgeir released his first solo album, titled Ekvílibríum, which features performances from many of his past collaborators but this time in settings that are very much Valgeir's own. He recently composed a score for Mannaveiðar, a four-part TV series set in Iceland and is taking his music to the live stage in an increasing capacity in 2008. bedroomcommunity.net


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