Biography

Jónsi & Alex are Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson of Sigur Rós, and Alex Somers, of Parachutes. Under the name Riceboy Sleeps they exhibited their visual art collaborations, published a picture book in 2006 and after several years of composing music together released their debut album - again called Riceboy Sleeps - on July 20th, 2009. (Previously available tracks were also credited to Riceboy Sleeps; for the album’s release they opted to use their given names.) On their website, www.jonsiandalex.com, one can download Boy 1904 for free, and view different videos and media that explores some of the stories behind Jónsi & Alex and the recording and evolution of the album.

About Jónsi & Alex
Known primarily for his falsetto as the singer in Sigur Rós, Jón Þór (Jónsi) Birgisson has – together with his partner Alex Somers – been exhibiting artwork and staging exhibitions under the name Riceboy Sleeps for two or three years now. A couple of months back the early fruits of the musical side of this collaboration surfaced in physical form for the first time, with the track ‘Happiness’, on the exemplary ‘Dark Was The Night’ Red Hot compilation.

Among such company as Antony Hegarty, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens and many more names besides, it says something that Jónsi & Alex’s instrumental contribution was picked out by many people who-ought-to-know as the apex of the record – especially given that the track was neither finished nor mastered when the deadline came around.

Now, however, the full-length ‘Riceboy Sleeps’ album (the name having migrated from artist moniker to album title) is finished and ready for release.

Played solely on acoustic instruments in Iceland (and featuring long-time string collaborators Amiina, as well as the Kópavogsdætur choir) and then endlessly toyed with on solar-powered laptops in a raw food commune in some far corner of Hawaii, ‘Riceboy Sleeps’ has an “organic feel” to it.