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Amiina are most known as Sigur Ros’ exclusive string accompaniment, but have maintained their independence enough through the years. For all the bands’ similarities, Amiina has a very different ethos. Whereas Sigur Ros dwells in epic crescendos and extravagant emotional release, Amiina keeps it small. They have all the childlike beauty of their parent group without the tragic persona and rock bravado, emphasizing texture over structure. Their long-awaited full length, Kurr, is a natural, unexpected beauty. They employ the zither, mandolin, wine glasses, music boxes and, of course, strings, but rarely vocals and never lyrics. Kurr, as a whole, is a slowly drifting, ambient work. If there is a single — and really, there’s not — it would be ‘Seoul’, with its melodic saw, bells and keyboard riffs. Much like their homeland, Amiina manifests a distant fantasy. The album calls to mind barren, rustic landscapes and rainy days in Reykjavik. It’s a daydream of a record, with reverberating, glasslike qualities.
