Amiina | Rugla
Amiina’s “Rugla” - 4 Icelandic women created an enchanting soundscape with musical saws, kalimbas, and wine glasses for their 2007 debut album Kurr, recorded partly at Sigur Rós’ Sundlaugin studio.
Story Behind “Rugla”
The Attic Full of Instruments
“Rugla” emerged from what one reviewer beautifully described as “kids in the attic” exploring every possible sound-making device they could find. When the four women of amiina—María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Hildur Ársælsdóttir, Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir—sat down to create their debut album Kurr in 2007, they brought along musical saws, kalimbas, music boxes, wine glasses, glockenspiels, and seemingly anything that could be plucked, bowed, or beaten. The track begins with quiet clicking sounds before guitar and ringing vibraphone flesh out the sonic landscape, with what NPR described as “spider-silk saw notes” warbling through to create an eerie yet familiar atmosphere.
The quartet had spent years performing as the string section for Sigur Rós, contributing to albums like ( ) and Takk... But for Kurr, they wanted something different—a chance to explore the delicate spaces where classical training meets experimental curiosity.
From Reykjavík College to International Recognition
The four musicians first met as string students at the Reykjavík College of Music in the late 1990s, initially performing classical repertoire as a traditional string quartet. In 1999, they joined Sigur Rós on stage, beginning a collaboration that would last over a decade. But their own musical vision pulled them toward something more intimate and exploratory than the epic electric dimensions of their better-known counterparts.
“Rugla”—which features soft wordless vocals cooing like the album’s Icelandic title suggests—became one of Kurr’s standout tracks. NPR featured it as Song of the Day in April 2008, praising how the band created “a series of auditory concepts that capture the mind and soothe the soul—a dance of sounds in space.”
“Rugla” Recording and Production Details
Sundlaugin Studio and Multi-Instrumental Approach
Amiina recorded “Rugla” partly at Sigur Rós’ Sundlaugin studio, with additional recording at various Icelandic locations. The production was handled by multiple engineers including Eimmur Hákonarson, Kjartan Sveinsson (who also happens to be Sigur Rós’ keyboardist and María’s husband), and Mads Christian Brauer. Mixing was completed by Birgir Jón Birgisson, with mastering by Graeme Durham at The Exchange in London.
The recording sessions captured amiina’s signature approach: each member constantly moved between instruments throughout the track, creating layered textures that built organically. Live performances of “Rugla” showcased this choreography, with the quartet swapping between xylophone, guitar, musical saw, viola, and cello mid-song.
Layers Upon Layers of Delicate Sound
The production philosophy emphasized what The Guardian called “a strange, powerful place between sophistication and innocence.” Rather than recording each instrument separately, the sessions captured the interplay between sounds—the way a musical saw’s pitch-bending notes frame the counterpoint from strings, or how hand-played desk bells interact with kalimba and cello. The vocals, when they appear, function almost instrumentally rather than lyrically, adding another texture to the sonic tapestry.
NPR’s Claire Blaustein captured the essence perfectly: “There’s a classical sensibility in Amiina’s songs—a delicacy of approach that conveys the sense of a carefully composed, deliberately choreographed experience. But at the same time, it develops organically, layer upon layer, unfurling new leaves of sound and dappled lightness.”
Notes About “Rugla” by Amiina
Release Date: March 21, 2007 (album); June 19, 2007 (international)
Duration: Approximately 4:00
Genre: Post-Rock / Chamber Music / Folktronica / Ambient
Album: Kurr (debut studio album, track 2 of 12)
Label: Bláskjár Records (Iceland); Ever Records (!K7 Label Group, international)
Recording Location: Sundlaugin Studio and various locations in Iceland
Notable Recognition: Featured as NPR Song of the Day (April 28, 2008)
Amiina “Rugla” Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Kurr (Icelandic for “Coo”)
Release Date: March 21, 2007 (Iceland); June 19, 2007 (international)
Label: Bláskjär Records (original); Ever Records (!K7 Label Group, international distribution)
Recording Locations: Sundlaugin Studio, plus various Icelandic locations including Avongs, Elis Studio, Gvendargeisli, Haskolabio, Havom Tonlistarskoli Seltjarnarness, Tonlistarskoliko
Album Length: 12 tracks, approximately 50 minutes
Preceded By: Single “Seoul” (late 2006)
Album Concept: Intimate exploration of unconventional instrumentation and delicate soundscapes
Band Members
María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir - Violin, various instruments
Hildur Ársælsdóttir - Violin, various instruments
Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir - Viola, various instruments
Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir - Cello, various instruments
Guest Musicians: Helgi Hrafn Jónsson, Ingi Garðar Erlandsson, Samúel J. Samúelsson (trombone on “Bláfeldur”)
Recording/Production Personnel
Recorded By: Amiina, Eimmur Hákonarson, Kjartan Sveinsson, Mads Christian Brauer, Birgir Jón Birgisson
Mixed By: Birgir Jón Birgisson
Mastered By: Graeme Durham (The Exchange, London), with additional mastering by Amiina, Birgir Jón Birgisson, and Kjartan Sveinsson on select tracks
Cover Art: Egill Kalevi Karlsson
Production Notes
All tracks written and performed by amiina
Initial distribution handled through official amiina website
Instruments used across album: violin, viola, cello, musical saws, kalimbas, music boxes, glockenspiels, vibraphone, wine glasses, desk bells, harmonium, guitar, various percussion
First vinyl issue released in 2009 as deluxe 200g pressing with bonus track “Hilli (At The Top Of The World)” featuring Lee Hazlewood’s final recording
10th anniversary reissue released January 15, 2020
Interesting Facts About “Rugla”
The 136-String Setup
Live performances of “Rugla” required extraordinary preparation. At a 2007 Dublin concert, the band informed the audience that 136 strings had to be tuned for each show across their numerous instruments. Reviewers described watching the quartet navigate their packed stage as mesmerizing as the music itself—each member constantly moving between instruments, creating what looked like choreographed dance but was actually musical necessity. One reviewer captured a particularly striking moment: “Two begin slowly to drag violin bows over the edges of a xylophone and a glockenspiel. The effect is eerie and the audience holds its breath, mesmerised.”
The multi-instrumental approach wasn’t mere showmanship. Each member brought classical training that allowed them to handle their trade instruments with virtuosity while maintaining a playful, exploratory attitude toward unconventional sound sources. The result was what Amazon reviewers described as “Arvo Pärt in a music box”—combining high-level musicianship with childlike wonder.
NPR’s “Dance of Sounds in Space”
When NPR featured “Rugla” as Song of the Day in April 2008, Claire Blaustein’s description captured why the track resonated beyond Iceland’s experimental music scene. She wrote that for a band embracing “an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink approach, what emerges is hardly noise. Instead, it’s a series of auditory concepts that capture the mind and soothe the soul—a dance of sounds in space.” The feature helped introduce American audiences to amiina’s unique vision, demonstrating how classical sensibility could merge with experimental instrumentation to create something both sophisticated and innocent.
The track’s appeal lay partly in its refusal to be easily categorized. One listener noted that not understanding any potential lyrics made the experience better, allowing the vocals to function purely as another textural element. This quality made “Rugla” perfect for what one fan called “reading, sketching, or yoga”—music that rewarded both active listening and ambient presence.
Common Questions
Q: What instruments are used in “Rugla” by amiina? A: “Rugla” features guitar, vibraphone, musical saw, viola, cello, and wordless vocals. Amiina’s approach involved constantly swapping instruments during recording and performance, with the musical saw’s distinctive pitch-bending notes being particularly prominent in creating the track’s eerie, enchanting atmosphere.
Q: What does “Rugla” mean? A: While “Kurr” (the album title) means “coo” in Icelandic, referring to the soft wordless vocals throughout the album, “Rugla” itself appears to be an invented or abstracted word. The vocals in the track feature repetitive cooing sounds that embody the album’s overall concept of gentle, bird-like vocalizations.
Q: Who are the members of amiina? A: During the Kurr era, amiina consisted of four women who met at Reykjavík College of Music: María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir (violin), Hildur Ársælsdóttir (violin), Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir (viola), and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir (cello). All four played multiple instruments beyond their primary strings.
Q: How is amiina connected to Sigur Rós? A: Amiina served as Sigur Rós’ string section from 1999 onward, performing on tours and contributing to albums including ( ) and Takk.... Additionally, amiina member María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir is married to Sigur Rós keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson, who also helped record parts of Kurr at Sigur Rós’ Sundlaugin studio.
Q: What genre is “Rugla”? A: “Rugla” blends post-rock, chamber music, folktronica, and ambient genres. The track combines classical string training with experimental instrumentation, creating what reviewers described as existing “between sophistication and innocence”—too playful for pure classical music, too composed for pure experimental work.