Epic, glacial, sweeping – descriptions of Sigur Rós’s music are often given in parallel to their native country of Iceland. Metaphors between the geography’s jagged yet breathtaking vistas and the group’s brand of widescreen composition are common. In the case of Heima, a new documentary on the band’s 2006 tour of their home nation, this parallel is brought in full visual to the screen. The cinematography is fittingly, as beautiful and creative, as the music it is accompanying.

Footage of the band performing live is interchanged with the varied topography and detailed locales of their touring locations. An abandoned herring factory, a protest camp in the highlands wilderness and a town square shrouded in fog are just some of the magical backdrops to the series of free concerts the band performed.

Aside from the sheer majesty of the visuals, and of course the music of the four piece themselves, the most startling thing about this documentary is that it redefines the rock movie; as far flung from This Is Spinal Tap as you can get. Interviews with the group reveal a humane, down-to-earth attitude that flies in the face of rock star clichés. Despite the apocalyptic pounding of drummer Orri Páll Dýrason, he is perhaps the most softly-spoken band member.

These interviews with the band and their support group - string quartet Amiina - contain some excellent anecdotes and impressions of their concerts, but are clearly secondary to the lucid power of audiovisual combination – with footage of the hypnotic stares of a tea-room audience during an acoustic performance of ‘Von’ and the group playing on a ‘stone marimba’ in the isolation of a cave.

Just when you think you’ve seen the most transcendent moment the film has to offer, another one comes along just as potent as moving.

The film is worth the price alone, but the rewarding second disc is filled with full concert coverage of the songs covered in the main feature; as well as some bonus tracks. It’s just as compelling to see the band in their unique live setting as it is in accompaniment with arty visuals.

All in all, this set reveals one of the most important groups in contemporary music; creating arguably the most beautiful and creative compositions in the world today. For fans it’s a no-brainer, for newcomers: a stunning introduction, for cinema fans: pure eye candy.

As the footage of the cosmopolitan audiences demonstrates, toddlers, grandparents, cool teenagers, keening adults, male, and female. In short, it’s for everybody.

Heima is available as a 2-Disc Set and Limited Edition Set through Capitol

Read a review of their new album HERE