Valgeir Sigurðsson
Valgeir Sigurðsson performing at PopTech in Reykjavík, Iceland in 2012
Background information
Born (1971-06-18) 18 June 1971
OriginIceland
GenresElectronic, experimental, alternative, soundtrack
Occupation(s)Producer, composer, musician, audio engineer
LabelsBedroom Community
WebsiteOfficial Website

Valgeir Sigurðsson (born 18 June 1971) is an Icelandic record producer, mixer, composer, audio engineer and musician.[1]

Biography

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

Stage works

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Antigravity, electronic track, 2016

Discography

Solo

YearAlbumCredits
2007EkvílibríumComposer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments
2010DraumalandiðComposer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments
2012Architecture of LossComposer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments
2019 Dissonance Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments

Production

YearArtistAlbumCredits
2017Emel MathlouthiEnsenProducer
2015GABISympathyMastering
2014Sam AmidonLily-OProducer
2014Rhob CunninghamThe Window and DayProducer, Mixing, Roland SH101, Percussion, Wurlitzer
2013Tim HeckerVirginsMixing, Keyboards
2013Sigur RósKveikurEngineer
2013Daníel BjarnasonOver Light EarthProducer, Mixing, Mastering, Electronics
2013CocoRosieTales of a GrassWidowProducer, Engineer, Beat Programming
2013Michael WookeySubmarine DreamsMastering
2013Ben Frost / Valgeir Sigurðsson / Nico Muhly / Sam AmidonEverything Everywhere All The Time / Whale Watching TourProducer, Mixing, Mastering
2013Nadia SirotaBaroqueProducer, Mixing, Mastering, Programming, Synthesizer
2013James McVinnieCyclesProducer, Mixing, Mastering
2012Damon AlbarnDr DeeMixing
2012Sigur RósValtariEngineer
2012Hilary Hahn & HauschkaSilfraProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2012Nico MuhlyDronesProducer, Mixing, Mastering
2012Paul CorleyDisquietMixing, Mastering
2012Mr. FoggElevenProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2012Alarm Will SoundCanzonas AmericanasMastering
2012Eighth BlackbirdLonely Motel: Music from SlideMastering
2012yMusicBeautiful MechanicalMastering
2011Ben Frost & Daníel BjarnasonSÓLARISProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2011Kronos Quartet / Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli KosminenUnikoProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2011Puzzle MutesonEn GardeProducer, Mixing, Mastering, Electronics, Percussion
2011FeistMetalsCo-Producer, Additional Horn Arrangements
2011Erica MouÈProducer
2010The Magic NumbersThe RunawayProducer, Programming
2010ModdiFloriographyProducer
2010Wildbirds & PeacedrumsRetinaMixing
2010Wildbirds & PeacedrumsIrisMixing
2010Sam AmidonI See The SignProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering, Bass, Percussion
2010Daníel BjarnasonProcessionsProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering, Programming
2010Mr FoggMoving PartsProducer, Mixing
2009Ben FrostBy The ThroatProducer, Mastering, Guitar
2009Aaron ThomasMade of WoodProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Percussion
2009Hildur Ingveldardóttir GuðnadóttirWithout SinkingMixing
2009Dan Michaelson & The CoastgrdsSaltwaterProducer
2008Nico MuhlyMothertongueProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Bass Guitar, Mastering
2008Sam AmidonAll Is WellProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Mastering
2008CamilleMusic HoleEngineer, Mixing
2008Ane BrunChanging of the SeasonsProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2008Call me KatI'm In A Polariod, Where Are You?Mixing, Mastering
2008Helgi Hrafn JónssonFor The Rest Of My ChildhoodEngineer, Mixing
2008Motion BoysHang OnProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2008SprengjuhöllinBestu kveðjurProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2008Oren LavieThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (soundtrack)Producer, Engineer, Mixing,
2007CocoRosieThe Adventures of Ghosthorse and StillbornProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming
2007MapsWe Can CreateProducer, Engineer, Programming
2007Ben FrostTheory Of MachinesEngineer, Mixing, Mastering
2007Kate NashCaroline's A VictimProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2007SprengjuhöllinTímarnir okkarProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2007Stars Like FleasThe Ken Burns EffectMastering Engineer
2007Hildur Ingveldardóttir GuðnadóttirLost In HildurnessMixing
2007NjútonRoto con motoProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2006Bonnie 'Prince' BillyThe Letting GoProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2006Nico MuhlySpeaks VolumesProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Mastering
2006Kate HavnevikMelanktonComposer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2006Reykjavík!Glacial Landscapes, Religion, Oppression and Alcohol...Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering
2005BjörkDrawing Restraint 9Co-Producer, Engineer, Programming, Keyboards
2004BjörkMedúllaEngineer, Programmer
2003BjörkLive BoxEngineer, Mixing
2003Machine TranslationsLove On The VineComposer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2002Howie B and Húbert NóiMusic for Astronauts and CosmonautsEngineer
2002BjörkFamily TreeEngineer, Mixing
2002SlowblowNói Albínói, Original SoundtrackEngineer, Mixing
2001BjörkVespertineEngineer, Programmer
2001MúmFinally We Are No OneProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2001Egill STonk Of The LawnProducer, Engineer, Mixing
2001QuarashiKristnihald undir JökliEngineer, Mixing
2001MegasFar… Þinn VegProducer, Engineer, Mixing, Programmer
2000BjörkSelmasongsEngineer, Programmer
1988Magga StínaAn AlbumProducer, Engineer, Programmer
1988UnunÓttaProducer, Engineer, Keyboards, Programmer

Film and TV

YearTileDirectorCredits
2009Dreamland
(Icelandic: Draumalandið)
Þorfinnur Guðnason
Andri Snær Magnason
Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Keyboards, Percussion
2008MannaveiðarBjörn B BjörnssonComposer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Keyboards
2005Drawing Restraint 9Matthew BarneyComposer, Co-Producer, Engineer, Programming, Keyboards
2001Dramarama
(Icelandic: Villiljós)
Dagur Kári Pétursson, Ragnar Bragason, Inga Lísa Middleton,Composer, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Various Instruments
2000Being John MalkovichSpike JonzeCo-Producer, Engineer, Programming

Other

  • Green Aria Music composed by Valgeir Sigurðsson and Nico Muhly for Scent Opera. Guggenheim Museum, NYC, 2009.

References

  1. 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.
  2. Tsioulcas, Anastasia (8 November 2018). "Emel Mathlouthi Is The 21st Century's Catalyst For Change". npr.org. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
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