"Vaka" (released as "untitled #1 (a.k.a. "Vaka")") is the common name for the untitled first track and lead single from

Sigur Rós Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...

' 2002 album '' ( )''. As late as 12 November 2006 the single remained fifteenth in the Canadian singles chart, having spent a total of 16 weeks in the top 20. The band closed their set with tracks 2 and 3 from this single during their spring 2003 tour, calling the two songs "Smáskífa" (single) on their set list. Track 2 was originally meant to be a remix of "Vaka" but it turned out into a different song altogether, although some remnants of "Vaka"'s melody can still be heard. Track 3 features a solo on piano by drummer

Orri Páll Dýrason Orri Páll Dýrason (; born on 4 July 1977) is an Icelandic musician. He was previously the drummer for Sigur Rós. He joined the band in 1999, shortly after the recording of the studio album ''Ágætis byrjun'', when the previous drummer, Ágú ...

. Track 4 is the music looped before and after Sigur Rós' live shows. The single was released as a 3" limited

mini CD Mini CDs, or pocket CDs, are CDs with a smaller diameter and one-third the storage capacity of a standard 120 mm disc. Formats Amongst the various formats are the *Mini CD single, a small disc. The format is mainly used for audio CD si ...

, 5" CD with DVD, and as a 10" limited vinyl gatefold sleeve with an artwork stencil. The 3" mini CD was only released in Europe, and is labeled as featuring a new 12 minute track though there are four separate tracks on the disc. The DVD accompanying the 5" CD contains the first three music videos the band has made: "

Svefn-g-englar "Svefn-g-englar" is a song by the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, from their second album, '' Ágætis byrjun''. Overview "Svefn-g-englar" was released as a single in 1999, with two studio recordings — "Svefn-g-englar" (an Icelandic ...

", " Viðrar vel til loftárása" and "Vaka". The menu screen has a video which the band shot of some birds on a wire, with track four from the single playing.

Music video

Directed by

Floria Sigismondi Floria Sigismondi (, born 1965) is an Italian-Canadian film director, screenwriter, music video director, artist, and photographer. She is best known for writing and directing '' The Runaways'', for directing music videos for performers includi ...

, the music video shows a post-apocalyptic world in which children, attending school, get ready to go outside and play. The children, after having their ears and mouths inspected by the faculty, putting on many layers of clothes as well as ominous

gas mask A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...

s, exit the school building and emerge to a yard covered in black ash, which falls from the red sky like snow. The children play in the ash, throwing it at one another and making snowmen out of it as well as roughhousing with each other, causing one of the kids to lose her gas mask. Her classmates gather around her as she falls to the ground and eventually closes her eyes. The video won the " Best Video" award at the

2003 MTV Europe Music Awards The 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards were held in Western Harbour in Edinburgh, Scotland. The awards ceremony was held in a 6,000-capacity big top arena constructed specifically for the main event. On the night, Justin Timberlake notably received a ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Scotland. The music video was originally planned for another song on the album, "untitled #4" (a.k.a. "Njósnavélin"). The song is also used extensively in the film '' After the Wedding''.

Track listing

*CD - 3"

/ 5" CD with DVD #"untitled #1" (a.k.a. Vaka) – 6:43 #track 2 – 4:38 #track 3 – 2:47 #track 4 – 4:22

References

External links

''untitled #1 (a.k.a. Vaka)'' on Sigur Rós' official site

''untitled #1 (a.k.a. Vaka)'' video on Sigur Rós official site
{{Authority control Sigur Rós songs Music videos directed by Floria Sigismondi 2003 EPs Sigur Rós albums FatCat Records EPs