Birgir_Jón_Birgisson
Sundlaugin (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsʏntˌlœyjɪn], the swimming pool) is a recording studio located near Álafoss in the town of Mosfellsbær in Iceland known for being the recording and rehearsal location of post-rock band Sigur Rós. The location was originally a swimming pool built in the 1930s which had been abandoned when Sigur Rós purchased it in 1999 and converted it and adjacent buildings into a studio.[1][2]
The band originally intended to record their third album, titled ( ), in an abandoned NATO tracking base in the northernmost mountain in Iceland, but after inspection decided it was too impractical. Shortly after they found the abandoned pool lot in a rural neighborhood in Mosfellsbær. They bought the lot and transformed it into a studio. In order to fit the massive mixing console into the building, part of the roof was opened up and the console was lowered with a crane.[3]
Much of the band's photography and artwork is taken from the surrounding landscape, such as the art found on the first album recorded in the studio, ( ).[4]
The recording studio has also been used for recording, mixing and mastering (usually assisted by the studio's sound engineer Birgir Jón "Biggi" Birgisson) by a wide group of mainly Icelandic artists and bands, including:[5][6]
- Agent Fresco
- The Album Leaf
- Alcest
- amiina[7]
- Amusement Parks on Fire[8]
- Björk[9]
- Bubbi Morthens[7]
- Emmanuel De La Paix[10][11]
- Flying Hórses
- For a Minor Reflection
- Jakobínarína
- Julianna Barwick[12]
- Langi Seli og Skuggarnir[13]
- Mammút[13]
- Mugison[7]
- Múm[14]
- Ólöf Arnalds[15]
- Retro Stefson
- Seabear[13]
- Self Defense Family
- Sin Fang[13]
- Ske
- Slowblow[16]
- Steindór Andersen
- Stórsveit Nix Noltes
As of 2020, Sundlaugin is owned by Sigur Rós keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson.[1]