Sigur Rós / Language Tokyo International Forum 2003 (2CDR)

SIGUR RÓS – LANGUAGE
(1CDR) SY0387
Live at Tokyo International Forum Hall C, Tokyo, Japan – April 15, 2003

Disc One
01. Vaka
02. Milano
03. Ný batterí
04. Gong
05. Olsen Olsen
06. Njósnavélin
07. Viðrar vel til loftárása

Disc Two
02. Hafsól
02. Smáskífa
03. Stralfur
04. Svefn-g-englar
05. Popplagið

A complete, superb-quality recording of the April 15, 2003 Tokyo show from the third Japan tour by Sigur Rós, Iceland's world-renowned band!
For this tour, the band was accompanied by a string section, delivering a truly moving and spectacular performance! Fans who experienced the show live must have been absolutely spellbound. Notably, "Stralfur" was performed in Tokyo only on this specific night! The sound quality is excellent.

[Review from a specialized music magazine]
A complete recording with soundboard-quality audio. While there is occasional, slight noise on the left channel, this is a release from the Sylph label—so, overall, it arguably boasts the highest sound quality among the various collector's items circulating from this Japan tour.
The setlist for this show differed slightly from the tour's opening night at the International Forum on the 14th; it comprised 12 songs, omitting "Gítardjamm" which had been played on the 14th. That said, the band's performance was outstanding—arguably the best of the entire tour. While their show at Shinagawa Gloria Chapel on the 12th also established a unique, sublime atmosphere, this performance was perhaps the most successful in fully utilizing the accompanying string section—bringing them along from their home country not merely for ambiance, but to effectively serve a vital acoustic function. There is no doubt that this release surpasses even the performance of the 14th, as the music resonates with the band's own playing to reach even greater heights. Their sonic world—defined by an ultimate dynamism that spans the extremes of thunderous roar and majestic solemnity—risks being misconstrued as mere ambient soundscapes or background music; yet, the band’s determination to break free from such confines while remaining, at their core, a rock band defines their true essence—a beautiful radiance most clearly visible in this very album.
While various recordings from their home country and European tours have been released, this specific performance stands out as the definitive one, capturing the band at the absolute peak of their powers and delivering a show of exceptional perfection. For those interested in their catalog but perhaps on a limited budget, picking up this album is a choice you certainly won't regret.