Sigur Rós -- Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do

5/10

In 2004, Sigur Rós and Radiohead (do these two bands have analogues, now?) collaborated to create a soundtrack for a Merce Cunningham dance piece called Split Sides. Radiohead has, to this moment, kept their contribution to the piece behind closed doors. Perhaps Sigur Rós should have done the same. For this twenty-minute instrumental EP, Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do, they've released their three songs from Cunningham's performance. "Songs" is a generous description, as they're more of a collection of chimes, clock-winding, and bloop and bleep noises. The opener, "Ba Ba" is quite deceptive, in that it presents itself as an actual song (the piano and "chorus" help), and is the only thing here worth listening to. The rest is just as I've described, making for more of a shelf-warmer than something someone would actively listen to. In fact, this isn't even worth it for Sigur Rós super-fans, outside of the obsessive collector.
I picked this EP up used for $3, along with a bunch of Radiohead singles from OK Computer, at a Gatlinburg, Tennessee music store, while on a trip with my wife. I love Sigur Rós, but in this review, Radiohead is really coming out on top.


2004 FatCat Records
1. Ba Ba 6:12
2. Ti Ki 8:49
3. Di Do 5:42