In contemporary Icelandic music, few figures have a hand as prominent and diverse as Valgeir Sigurðsson. Born on 18 June 1971, Valgeir’s trajectory as a composer, producer, audio engineer and musician has intertwined with many of the country’s most celebrated international achievements in sound.
Early passions and key collaborations
Valgeir stepped into the audio world at a young age. With a childhood foundation in music, he began working in a recording studio at sixteen. His musical repertoire grew to include keyboards, bass, percussion, electronics and programming, anchored by classical guitar training. Later, he formalised his expertise with a Tonmeister degree from the SAE Institute in London.
A turning point in Valgeir’s career came in 1998, when Björk recruited him as engineer and programmer for Lars von Trier’s film Dancer in the Dark. His technical ingenuity left an indelible mark on tracks like “I’ve Seen It All”, a piece that paired Björk with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. The characteristic train-rhythm in the track is Valgeir’s creation. This partnership lasted until 2006 and saw Valgeir become a pivotal figure in Björk’s studio endeavours during that period.
Building platforms for Icelandic and global music
Valgeir’s influence extends far beyond his personal collaborations. In 1997, he founded Greenhouse Studios, which quickly became a nucleus for musical innovation in Reykjavík. The studio has hosted a spectrum of artists including Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Feist, Damon Albarn, CocoRosie, múm, Brian Eno, Sigur Rós, Hilary Hahn & Hauschka, Emel Mathlouthi and many others. From this collective effort, Greenhouse Studios has played a significant role in establishing Iceland’s contemporary music scene as globally recognised.
In 2005, Valgeir established Bedroom Community, a record label and artist collective. This space helped launch Nico Muhly’s recording career and provided a platform for projects by Ben Frost and Sam Amidon among others. Through both the studio and the label, Valgeir cultivated an environment welcoming to experimentation and cross-genre creation.
His own music bears evidence of a constant drive to blend tradition with contemporary technique. Valgeir has composed across media for TV, film and theatre. His debut solo album, Ekvílibríum, appeared in 2007, followed by soundtracks including Dreamland (Draumalandið) in 2009. The score for Dreamland went on to be performed by orchestras in Iceland, Canada and Scotland.
Not content with producing, Valgeir’s classical commissions have included premieres at New York’s Lincoln Center and Ireland’s Crash Ensemble. Releases such as Architecture of Loss and Dissonance highlight his affinity for combining live performance with electronic elements, music often performed by notable ensembles.
With a history that spans genres, media and generations, Valgeir Sigurðsson continues to shape the sound of Icelandic and wider contemporary music from behind the scenes and on the stage.
