My site has been pretty quiet for the past week. That’s because I just got back from an 8-day trip to Iceland (as my previous tweet hinted at). It was an incredible experience. The country boasts some of the most unique geologic features on the planet, including volcanos, geysers, glaciers, fjords, and waterfalls.

Before leaving I had no idea what to expect. Luckily, I watched Heima on the flight to Reykjavik. The film chronicles the homecoming tour of Icelandic band Sigur Rós. In 2006, the band toured Iceland, playing free shows in unique settings and tiny villages. The film features breathtaking scenery and, of course, beautiful music. It is a great introduction to Iceland. It also made me kick myself for not seeing them live when I had the chance.

During the trip we did an insane amount of driving. To pass the time, I listened to boatloads of music. Sigur Rós definitely provided the best soundtrack for this journey. The Icelandic landscape is unbelievably gorgeous, but also desolate and unforgiving. The band’s music perfectly captures this duality. “Untitled 8″ is epic and intense, like an endless field of lava. “Andvari” is serene and soothing, like a gorgeous sunset. Because I can’t understand the lyrics, I can assign to the songs whatever meaning I want (which is why I love Sigur Rós so much).

Should you ever get the chance, I highly recommend visiting Iceland. But if you can’t, listening to Sigur Rós is the next best thing.

• Sigur Rós – Untitled 8
• Sigur Rós – Andvari