A Good Beginning: Sigur Ros Revisits "Agaetis byrjun" With Deluxe Reissue

A Good Beginning: Sigur Ros Revisits “Agaetis byrjun” With Deluxe Reissue

July 10, 2019 By Sam Stone — No Comments

Twenty years ago, Icelandic electronic act Sigur Rós released Ágætis Byrjun (meaning “A Good Beginning”). And so it proved to be, as critics everywhere praised the album. One of the songs, “Svefn-g-englar,” made it onto the Vanilla Sky soundtrack in 2001, and Q Magazine even went as far as to deem it “the last great album of the 20th century.”

On July 5, the band revisited the album with an expanded, 4-CD deluxe edition that brings together a remastered version of the album, demos, newly unearthed alternative versions, B-sides, and even a full, 95-minute concert in Reykjavik from the day the album was released.

In addition to the 4-CD edition, two further configurations are set to arrive later this month. There’s a 2-LP version due on July 16 that features the original album (plus outtakes, live material and demos on a download voucher). For the super-fans, the Sigur Rós online shop will offer an exclusive 7-LP edition replicating the tracks from the 4-CD edition, due on July 26. The 7-LPs will be housed in a three different sleeves alongside an 84-page clothbound, it’s all presented in a luxurious cloth-wrapped slipcase.

You can enjoy a trailer for the set below and scroll down to place your orders for any of the configurations of this landmark electronic album.

Sigur Rós, Ágætis byrjun – A Good Beginning [20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] (Krunk, 2019)

4-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2-LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Exclusive 7-LP/book set: Sigur Rós Online Store

4-CD

cd1 | original album – as released june 12th 1999

1. intro
2. svefn-g-englar
3. starálfur
4. flugufrelsarinn
5. Ný batterí
6. hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)
7. viðrar vel til loftárása
8. olsen olsen
9. ágaetis byrjun
10. avalon

cd2 | live at íslenska óperan – live at íslenska óperan, 1999 – previously unreleased

1. intro (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
2. von (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
3. syndir guðs (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
4. flugufrelsarinn (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
5. olsen olsen (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
6. ágaetis byrjun (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
7. viðrar vel til loftárása (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
8. svefn-g-englar (live at íslenska óperan, 1999).

cd3 | live at íslenska óperan plus rarities previously unreleased tracks

1. ný batterí (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
2. nýja lagið (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
3. hafsól – (live at íslenska óperan, 1999)
4. hugmynd 1 (demo)
5. hugmynd 2 (demo)
6. hugmynd 3 (demo)
7. debata mandire (live at laugardashöll, 1999)
8. rafmagnið búið (from ný batterí ep, 2000)

cd4 | rarities

1. svefn-g-englar (live at popp í reykjavík, 1998)
2. starálfur (original speed version)
3. flugufrelsarinn (1998 demo)
4. ný batteri (instrumental)
5. hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm) (1995 demo)
6. viðrar vel til loftárása (alternative ending)
7. olsen olsen (1998 demo)
8. ágaetis byrjun (1998 demo)

2-LP

tracklisting | original album | vinyl

side a
1. intro
2. svefn-g-englar
3. starálfur

side b
4. flugufrelsarinn
5. ný batterí

side c
6. hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm)
7. viðrar vel til loftárása

side d
8. olsen olsen
9. ágaetis byrjun
10. avalon

+ download voucher for “demos & rarities” and “live at íslenska óperan” as listed above

Categories:

News

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Everything Else, Rock

Tags:

Sigur Ros

Sam Stone

Sam Stone has been obsessed with catalog music ever since his folks gave him a Contours best-of collection for his fourth birthday. He quickly began to learn all he could about rock and roll history and beyond, a passion that continues to this day.

Sam followed his love for music to the classroom, earning a B.A. from Towson University in Electronic Media and Film, concentrating on radio and audio production, as well as an M.A. in Audio Arts from Syracuse University. He has put his knowledge and skills to work at prominent reissue labels and is excited to bring his perspectives on catalog music to a broader audience. When he’s not writing for The Second Disc, Sam can be found researching about music, talking about Joni Mitchell’s career, and adding another box set to his Amazon wish list.