Vaka (song)

"Vaka"
Single by Sigur Rós
from the album ( )
ReleasedMay 2003 (2003-05)
RecordedSundlaugin
Mosfellsbær, Iceland
Genre
Length18:30
Label
Songwriter(s)Sigur Rós
Producer(s)Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós singles chronology
"Ný batterí"
(2000)
"Vaka"
(2003)
"Glósóli"
(2005)
Music video
"Untitled #1 a.k.a Vaka" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Pitchfork Media(7.1/10)[1]

"Vaka" (released as "untitled #1 (a.k.a. "Vaka")") is the common name for the untitled first track and lead single from Sigur Rós' 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.[2]

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. Track 4 is the music looped before and after Sigur Rós' live shows.

The single was released as a 3" limited mini CD, 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", "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.

  1. ^ Pitchfork Media review
  2. ^ CANOE JAM! Showbiz. "Singles: Top 20". Archived from the original on 2004-12-26. Retrieved 2006-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)