Valgeir Sigurðsson
Valgeir Sigurðsson (born 18 June 1971) is an Icelandic record producer, mixer, composer, audio engineer and musician.[1]
Valgeir Sigurðsson | |
|---|---|
Valgeir Sigurðsson performing at PopTech in Reykjavík, Iceland in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 18 June 1971 |
| Origin | Iceland |
| Genres | Electronic, experimental, alternative, soundtrack |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, composer, musician, audio engineer |
| Labels | Bedroom Community |
| Website | Official Website |
Biography edit
Coming from a musical background, Valgeir's fascination with recording technology led to a job in a small recording studio at the age of 16. He plays keyboards, bass, percussion, electronics/programming and studied classical guitar, graduating with a Tonmeister degree from London's SAE Institute. In 1998 Valgeir was hired by fellow countrywoman Björk as engineer and programmer on the soundtrack for Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark. A song from the film, I've Seen It All (a duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song but lost to Bob Dylan's Things Have Changed. Valgeir created the distinctive train-rhythm that runs through the song. His working relationship with Björk continued beyond the film project and was consistent from early 1998 until 2006, during which time Valgeir was one of her main studio collaborators.
Valgeir is the founder of Greenhouse Studios, Iceland's top recording facility established in 1997, where in addition to Björk, he has collaborated with artists such as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Feist, Damon Albarn, Camille, CocoRosie, Ben Frost, Sam Amidon, múm, Hilary Hahn & Hauschka, Brian Eno, Sigur Rós, Emel Mathlouthi,[2] and many others. In 2005 he founded the Bedroom Community record label launching the recording career of Nico Muhly and producing and releasing albums by Ben Frost and Sam Amidon. He has composed music for TV, film and theatre and his debut solo album Ekvílibríum was released by Bedroom Community in 2007, followed by a release of his soundtrack for Dreamland (Draumalandið) in 2009. The score of Dreamland was performed live in 2011 by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 2012, and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov, in 2013. His first conventional classical commission, Nebraska Quartet was premiered by the Chiara String Quartet at the Lincoln Center during NYC's Ecstatic Music Festival in 2011. Valgeir's third LP Architecture of Loss was released in September 2012 to critical acclaim. Ghosts, for chamber ensemble, was the result of a commission the Crash Ensemble, and launched in Dublin in November 2013. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Alexander Mickelthwate premiered Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-Five, for orchestra and electronics, as part of its annual New Music Festival in January 2014.
Selected works edit
Stage works edit
- Green Aria (co-composed with Nico Muhly), for chamber orchestra and electronics, 2009
- Architecture of Loss, ballet for chamber ensemble of 3 players and electronics, 2012
- Wide Slumber for lepidopterists music-theatre piece for 3 singers, 4 musicians and electronics, 2014
- Woman Undone, music-theatre work for five singers/instrumentalists, 2018
Orchestral edit
- Dreamland for large orchestra and electronics, 2011
- Dreamland for chamber orchestra and optional electronics, 2013
- Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-Five for orchestra and electronics, 2013
- No Nights Dark Enough for chamber orchestra and electronics, 2014
Ensemble edit
- Past Tundra for chamber ensemble of 9 players with electronics, 2011
- Nebraska for string quartet, 2011
- Architecture of Loss, ballet for chamber ensemble of 3 players and electronics, 2012
- Ghosts, for chamber ensemble of 10 players with electronics, 2013
- The Crumbling (from Architecture of Loss), for chamber ensemble of 6 players, 2014
- Raindamage, for string trio and electronics, 2014
- Dissonance, for viola da gamba and electronics, 2014
- Veej, for chamber ensemble of 18 players, 2015
- For Love of Her (do but kill me), for voice, chamber ensemble of 10 players and electronics, 2015
- Remnant, for viola and electronics, 2018
- Dust, for violin and electronics, 2018
Electronics Only edit
- Antigravity, electronic track, 2016
Discography edit
Solo edit
| Year | Album | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Ekvílibríum | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments |
| 2010 | Draumalandið | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments |
| 2012 | Architecture of Loss | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments |
| 2019 | Dissonance | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments |
Production edit
| Year | Artist | Album | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Emel Mathlouthi | Ensen | Producer |
| 2015 | GABI | Sympathy | Mastering |
| 2014 | Sam Amidon | Lily-O | Producer |
| 2014 | Rhob Cunningham | The Window and Day | Producer, Mixing, Roland SH101, Percussion, Wurlitzer |
| 2013 | Tim Hecker | Virgins | Mixing, Keyboards |
| 2013 | Sigur Rós | Kveikur | Engineer |
| 2013 | Daníel Bjarnason | Over Light Earth | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Electronics |
| 2013 | CocoRosie | Tales of a GrassWidow | Producer, Engineer, Beat Programming |
| 2013 | Michael Wookey | Submarine Dreams | Mastering |
| 2013 | Ben Frost / Valgeir Sigurðsson / Nico Muhly / Sam Amidon | Everything Everywhere All The Time / Whale Watching Tour | Producer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2013 | Nadia Sirota | Baroque | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Programming, Synthesizer |
| 2013 | James McVinnie | Cycles | Producer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2012 | Damon Albarn | Dr Dee | Mixing |
| 2012 | Sigur Rós | Valtari | Engineer |
| 2012 | Hilary Hahn & Hauschka | Silfra | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2012 | Nico Muhly | Drones | Producer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2012 | Paul Corley | Disquiet | Mixing, Mastering |
| 2012 | Mr. Fogg | Eleven | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2012 | Alarm Will Sound | Canzonas Americanas | Mastering |
| 2012 | Eighth Blackbird | Lonely Motel: Music from Slide | Mastering |
| 2012 | yMusic | Beautiful Mechanical | Mastering |
| 2011 | Ben Frost & Daníel Bjarnason | SÓLARIS | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2011 | Kronos Quartet / Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen | Uniko | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2011 | Puzzle Muteson | En Garde | Producer, Mixing, Mastering, Electronics, Percussion |
| 2011 | Feist | Metals | Co-Producer, Additional Horn Arrangements |
| 2011 | Erica Mou | È | Producer |
| 2010 | The Magic Numbers | The Runaway | Producer, Programming |
| 2010 | Moddi | Floriography | Producer |
| 2010 | Wildbirds & Peacedrums | Retina | Mixing |
| 2010 | Wildbirds & Peacedrums | Iris | Mixing |
| 2010 | Sam Amidon | I See The Sign | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering, Bass, Percussion |
| 2010 | Daníel Bjarnason | Processions | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering, Programming |
| 2010 | Mr Fogg | Moving Parts | Producer, Mixing |
| 2009 | Ben Frost | By The Throat | Producer, Mastering, Guitar |
| 2009 | Aaron Thomas | Made of Wood | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Percussion |
| 2009 | Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir | Without Sinking | Mixing |
| 2009 | Dan Michaelson & The Coastgrds | Saltwater | Producer |
| 2008 | Nico Muhly | Mothertongue | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Bass Guitar, Mastering |
| 2008 | Sam Amidon | All Is Well | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Mastering |
| 2008 | Camille | Music Hole | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2008 | Ane Brun | Changing of the Seasons | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2008 | Call me Kat | I'm In A Polariod, Where Are You? | Mixing, Mastering |
| 2008 | Helgi Hrafn Jónsson | For The Rest Of My Childhood | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2008 | Motion Boys | Hang On | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2008 | Sprengjuhöllin | Bestu kveðjur | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2008 | Oren Lavie | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (soundtrack) | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, |
| 2007 | CocoRosie | The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming |
| 2007 | Maps | We Can Create | Producer, Engineer, Programming |
| 2007 | Ben Frost | Theory Of Machines | Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2007 | Kate Nash | Caroline's A Victim | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2007 | Sprengjuhöllin | Tímarnir okkar | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2007 | Stars Like Fleas | The Ken Burns Effect | Mastering Engineer |
| 2007 | Hildur Ingveldardóttir Guðnadóttir | Lost In Hildurness | Mixing |
| 2007 | Njúton | Roto con moto | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2006 | Bonnie 'Prince' Billy | The Letting Go | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2006 | Nico Muhly | Speaks Volumes | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Mastering |
| 2006 | Kate Havnevik | Melankton | Composer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2006 | Reykjavík! | Glacial Landscapes, Religion, Oppression and Alcohol... | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering |
| 2005 | Björk | Drawing Restraint 9 | Co-Producer, Engineer, Programming, Keyboards |
| 2004 | Björk | Medúlla | Engineer, Programmer |
| 2003 | Björk | Live Box | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2003 | Machine Translations | Love On The Vine | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Howie B and Húbert Nói | Music for Astronauts and Cosmonauts | Engineer |
| 2002 | Björk | Family Tree | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2002 | Slowblow | Nói Albínói, Original Soundtrack | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Björk | Vespertine | Engineer, Programmer |
| 2001 | Múm | Finally We Are No One | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Egill S | Tonk Of The Lawn | Producer, Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Quarashi | Kristnihald undir Jökli | Engineer, Mixing |
| 2001 | Megas | Far… Þinn Veg | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programmer |
| 2000 | Björk | Selmasongs | Engineer, Programmer |
| 1988 | Magga Stína | An Album | Producer, Engineer, Programmer |
| 1988 | Unun | Ótta | Producer, Engineer, Keyboards, Programmer |
Film and TV edit
| Year | Tile | Director | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Dreamland (Icelandic: Draumalandið) | Þorfinnur Guðnason Andri Snær Magnason | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Keyboards, Percussion |
| 2008 | Mannaveiðar | Björn B Björnsson | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Keyboards |
| 2005 | Drawing Restraint 9 | Matthew Barney | Composer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Programming, Keyboards |
| 2001 | Dramarama (Icelandic: Villiljós) | Dagur Kári Pétursson, Ragnar Bragason, Inga Lísa Middleton, | Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments |
| 2000 | Being John Malkovich | Spike Jonze | Co-Producer, Engineer, Programming |
Other edit
- Green Aria Music composed by Valgeir Sigurðsson and Nico Muhly for Scent Opera. Guggenheim Museum, NYC, 2009.
References edit
- ^ O'Dair, Marcus (2015-08-17). Different Every Time: The Authorized Biography of Robert Wyatt. Counterpoint LLC. pp. 296–. ISBN 9781619026766. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
- ^ Tsioulcas, Anastasia (8 November 2018). "Emel Mathlouthi Is The 21st Century's Catalyst For Change". npr.org. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
External links edit
- Official website
- Artist page on Bedroom Community
- Valgeir Sigurðsson at IMDb
- Myspace
- The Independent, 21 September 2007