Sigur Rós debuts Valtari exclusively on board Icelandair

Sigur Rós, the biggest band to come out of Iceland this century, are debuting their forthcoming album exclusively onboard Icelandair. For two months ahead of release starting April 1, passengers will be able to listen to the entire 54-minutes of the band's sixth studio album Valtari on board all Icelandair flights, while the record remains tightly embargoed elsewhere.

Valtari, which means “steamroller” in Icelandic, is the third album that Icelandair has exclusively debuted in its in-flight entertainment system before widespread release (including Bjork's recent 'Biophilia'). The project is part of Icelandair’s policy to promote Icelandic musicians who help to build the country’s culture and reputation on the world stage. Valtari will be released globally by on May 28.

“This will be an album that our original fans will really like,” said Sigur Rós member Georg Holm in an interview with Icelandair Info magazine about the release. “This record has substance. It’s serious and very introverted.”

The record sees the band returning to their native Icelandic after excursions in their own made up Hopelandic and, occasionally, English. Sigur Rós will begin a world tour this summer in North America on July 29, with other concerts across Asia and Europe throughout the summer into autumn, including a date at Iceland Airwaves on November 4th.

Over the course of an 18 year career, Sigur Rós have become synonymous with slow-moving, powerfully atmospheric music, usually topped off by Jon Thor Birgisson's trademark keening falsetto.