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Sigur Rós are Broadcasting a 24-Hour Live Stream of Iceland

Sick of the fast pace of the world we live in? Want a break from it all to travel to a far away place of beauty and wonder?

If the answer is an affirmative ‘yes!’, then take some time out and tune in to Sigur Rós’ stunning 24-hour live stream showcasing their beautiful home of Iceland. In what is called One Route, we’re treated to some of the breathtaking Scandinavian nation’s landmarks as we travel along the Icelandic coastal ring road. Some of these include natural wonders such as the Fjords of Eastern Iceland; Möðrudalur, which is Iceland’s highest farm settlement; Europe’s largest ice cap known as Vatnajökull and Jökulsárlón, which is a glacial lagoon in Southern Iceland.

To add to the calming effect of the virtual journey, a gorgeous soundtrack plays in the background. The music has been created by generative music software and uses elements of the band’s newest track Óveður, meaning the sounds are constantly changing as the images do. You can also commiserate about how you’re presently anywhere but Iceland with the many other viewers from across the world in the stream of comments beside the video.

You may be asking, why are Sigur Rós doing this?

“In a day and age of instant gratification and everything moving so fast, we wanted to do the exact opposite,” says Sigur Rós’s vocalist and guitarist Jónsi Birgisson. He continues, explaining, “Slow TV is counter-active to the world we live in, in that it happens in real time and real slow.”

In other Sigur Rós-related news, they are slotted in to participate in a refugee benefit compilation Oxfam Presents: Stand As One – Glastonbury Live 2016following the murder of British MP Jo Cox. The digital release of Stand As One will be up for grabs on July 11th in an effort to raise money to help refugees, which is a cause Cox was incredibly passionate about. Chvrches, Foals, Muse and many other artists are also involved with the project.

So if you’re looking to simply chill out and treat your eyes and ears for a bit (or ’round the clock), Route One is playing right now on YouTube as well as Iceland’s RÚV 2 channel, on the 20th and 21st of June. Tune in below:

Image: Supplied