2001 Recording of String Quartet No. 2, Edward Smaldone
Mvt. 1 - Vibrant

The Meridian String Quartet: Sebu Siranian, Lisa tipton, violins,
Liuh-Wen ting, viola, Wolrfram Koessel, cello

Diverse Light

String Quartet No. 2 (1986) - Mvt. I - Vibrant

“Low Life” is a cinematic Icelandic post-rock composition where droning distorted guitar, choir textures, and the Heima String Kvartett merge into an overwhelming wall of sound. Within the density, delicate string melodies, church organ harmonies, and slow-moving atmospheric post rock dynamics create a piece that shifts from heavy and immersive to fragile and intimate.

Mike Taylor’s church organ anchors the track in a cathedral-like resonance, while the layered strings drift between modern classical minimalism and widescreen instrumental soundtrack music.
A powerful, textured work that captures the sound of volcanic landscapes, deep emotional pressure, and slow-burning eruption.

This is Icelandic post rock with strings, rooted in cinematic expression, drone guitar atmospheres, and a glacial sense of space.

Musicians

Laxá

Jussi Siglarson – Guitar

Bjarne Guðjohnsen – Bass

Matthias Helguson – Drums

Mike Taylor – Keyboards / Church Organ

Heima String Kvartett
Lisbeth Heima – Violin
Sif Árnadóttir – Violin
Natasha Guðmundsdóttir – Viola
Ída Sigurðardóttir – Cello

FFO (For Fans Of)

Sigur Rós, Mogwai, Mono, Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Russian Circles, Balmorhea, Ólafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Hammock

Hashtags

#Laxa #LowLife #IcelandicPostRock #CinematicPostRock #PostRockWithStrings #WallOfSound #DroningGuitar #ChoirTextures #ChurchOrganMusic #StringQuartet #ModernClassical #CinematicSoundtrack #AtmosphericPostRock #IcelandicMusic #InstrumentalPostRock #DarkAtmosphericMusic

Laxá – Low Life | Icelandic Post Rock • Cinematic Post Rock • Atmospheric Wall of Sound

These Guitars Say Sorry is the banner for a diverse range of artists, from UK singer-songwriter These Guitars Say Sorry to classical composer Jeremias Langsämmer along with his ensemble, Icelandic post-rock band Laxá with the Heima Kvartett, ambient artist Siegfried Jünger, and Doom Jazz ensemble The Dark Messiahs. Founded by Jez Stephen, who incepted all the projects, the label has released over 30 albums, crafting a unique sonic identity across genres.

Since 2021, These Guitars Say Sorry has released a track every week, later compiling them into albums available on all major platforms. Explore the catalog on Bandcamp: https://theseguitarssaysorry.bandcamp.com/ and support the work for as little as $1 a month on Patreon: www.patreon.com/tgss.

New tracks tagged #stringQuartet,