Sigur Rós

A cello bow drawn across an electric guitar gives Sigur Rós their glacial, swelling sound, and Jónsi's falsetto floats above it, often singing in Vonlenska, or 'Hopelandic', an invented language of syllables rather than words.

Ágætis byrjun made the Reykjavík band famous abroad, and ( ), with its nameless tracks, went further into slow-building ambience. Takk... gave them 'Hoppípolla', a fixture of BBC nature trailers after it soundtracked promos for Planet Earth.

Kveikur turned darker and heavier, and after years of line-up changes Átta, recorded with the London Contemporary Orchestra, returned to sweeping, string-drenched beauty.