The sounds and songs of Iceland's melting landscape

Konstantine Vlasis never imagined that a single track on a Sigur Rós album would lead him to study the melting glaciers of Iceland. But a decade after first hearing the band's 2013 track Lækurinn ("The Stream"), Vlasis found himself on Iceland's highest peaks, recording the sounds of trickling meltwater and cracking ice for a PhD on the sonic life of glaciers.

As climate change accelerates glacial melt worldwide, Iceland's glaciers – which cover 10% of the country – are disappearing fast. Scientists estimate they could lose half their volume by 2100. For future generations, they may survive only as small ice caps on the tallest mountains – which is why the UN has declared 2025 the year of glacier preservation.

Vlasis hopes that sound can help people understand this environmental shift in a new way.

"Sound can teach us a lot about glaciers," he explained. "You can't see glacial movement in real time, but you can hear it."

As a percussionist trained in the concept of soundscapes – which brings together the ideas of sound plus landscape – Vlasis approaches climate communication through listening. His PhD, ed by New York University and the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation, explores how the sounds of glaciers can reveal what we might miss with our eyes alone. With more than 2.3 million travellers visiting Iceland each year to see the country's breathtaking glacial landscapes, the potential impact of his work extends far beyond the scientific community.

The track that sparked his initial curiosity is part of an album called Rímur, which features traditional Icelandic folk songs. Vlasis was intrigued that the song's only accompaniment was the sound of a stream. He listened to the lyrics' metaphor about growing older and returning home, then began to wonder: "What is this stream that I'm hearing">window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'alternating-thumbnails-a', container: 'taboola-below-article', placement: 'Below Article', target_type: 'mix' });