The Poetry Round

In a period of European depression, even one where the end of the tunnel seems to be in sight (in the form of the mini-treaty) it is tempting to see parallels in this verbal, musical and visual poem by the Icelanders of Sigur Rós. And the sore point here is that this melancholic optimism comes from artists from a European country that is not even a member of the EU. Do the fifteen or so young people (boys and girls) personify the varied cultures of Europe; calling to each other, awaiting each other and uniting in a common adventure in search of unknown horizons? To what extent is the final leap into the void an invitation to proceed with a less conservative European project that takes risks; risks which always pay off?

The most striking feature of the powerful fantasy expressed by these Icelanders is the language chosen for their poems: Vonleska, a phonetic language based on Icelandic which was improvised by Jón Þór Birgisson, a member of the group. Vonleska comes from the synthesis of two terms: “Von”, which means “hope” in Icelandic, and “Islenska” -“Icelandic” -. This “Icelandic hope” is a language that cannot even be directly translated into Icelandic, and the theory behind its development is that it should enable the sounds of the poem to be freely interpreted by any person that listens, whatever their origin. A creative claim indeed, and above all a vote for poetic empathy that goes far beyond the lyric oeuvre of this lost corner of the continent.

The group, fresh from their collaboration with Radiohead (in 2003, when they composed the accompaniment for the piece Split Sides for the dancer Merce Cunningham), has announced the release of a new album for the end of 2007.

It is refreshing to come across these Icelanders concerned with showcasing musical agility whilst bringing together radically new forms of sound. Faced with a distant vision an able European will always step up to the challenge, instigating change from the shadows.

Here is the poem Glósóli in Vonleska and in English: