Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi new album project

Known primarily for his haunting falsetto and other-worldly presence as the singer in Sigur Rós, Jon Thor (Jónsi) Birgisson has - together with his partner Alex Somers - been exhibiting artwork and staging exhibitions under the name Riceboy Sleeps for two or three years now.

A couple of months back the early fruits of the musical side of this collaboration surfaced in physical form for the first time, with the track 'Happiness', on the exemplary 'Dark Was The Night' Red Hot compilation.

Among such company as Antony Hegarty, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens and many more high and mighty names besides, it says something that Jónsi & Alex's sparse and haunting instrumental contribution was picked out by many people who-ought-to-know as the apex of the record – especially given that the track was neither finished nor mastered when the deadline came around.

Now, however, the full-length 'Riceboy Sleeps' album (the name having migrated from artist moniker to album title) is finished and ready for release. And, as with 'Happiness', it is set to subtly redefine expectations of slow and elegiac instrumental music in 2009.

'RICEBOY SLEEPS'

Happiness
Atlas Song
Indian Summer
Stokkseyri
Boy 1904
All The Big Trees
Daníell In The Sea
Howl
Sleeping Giant

Jón Þór Birgisson & Alex Somers, 'Riceboy Sleeps' is set for release on Parlophone on July 20th.