"With a Buzz in Our Ears, We Play Endlessly" by Sigur Rós (XL Recordings)

The jumpy, multilayered percussion that starts the new album from Sigur Rós is the first sign that we're in for something different from the Icelandic wonders. With a lengthy native title that translates to "With a Buzz in Our Ears, We Play Endlessly," the new album promptly picks up where 2005's "Takk" left off, pushing the band into its most accessible, even mainstream, quarters yet.

Where Sigur Rós once wove grand sonic tapestries, it now presents genuine performances. There's a relaxed, organic feel to much of the playing, tucked into traditional song formats with edges more clearly defined.

The adventurous instrumentation, otherworldly vocals and 8-minute epics are still here, but songs such as "Inni Mer ..." and "Vid Spilum Endalaust" find Sigur Rós adopting genuine hooks, while simple piano lines and acoustic guitars are pushed forward in the mix. "Illgresi" is as straightforward a ballad as the band has yet recorded. Vocalist Jon Thor Birgisson even takes his first stab at English vocals with the closing "All Alright," though the band splits the difference by making it the most old-style Sigur Rós song on the album.