On the back of last year’s very well-received album Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy, Icelandic art rock/electronica/IDM (they defy a genre really) group Múm (pronounced moom), charmed a receptive Rosemount crowd with their ambient grooves and quirky take on alternative music.
It was a humid night in Perth and even hotter inside the bar, with a surprisingly large crowd not leaving much space for air flow. The heat, live music overload from a massive Perth festival season, and the fact that it was 10:30pm on a Wednesday, meant that it was a particularly weary looking crowd that greeted the six-piece on stage. Fatigue was soon forgotten, though, once they became residents in the world of Múm. Their music is the kind that one would expect to not transpose particularly well to a live setting. As one punter quoted, “They are definitely background music”. This may be true, and it can be said fairly confidently that a large majority of the crowd would have admitted to listening to them in this manner – especially the loved-up couples who seemed to think the Rosemount was some honeymoon suite.
However, despite a few early feedback problems, the group masterfully conveyed their unique sound into an entrancing live show. They used an incredible array of unusual instruments, which inherently created unusual sounds. With two Scandinavian beauties in Sigurlaug Gísladóttir and Ólöf Arnalds with equally beautiful voices fronting the band, it really was hard to look away from the stage. The world Múm want to take you into with their music is seemingly a simple one, void of the complexities of the modern world. This was evident with band members introducing songs via phrases like, “this song is about the animals” or “this song is about trees”. It was no wonder, then, that it was requested, in an infectious Icelandic accent after their opening song, that the television please be turned off! One could not help but be charmed by their Icelandic take on the English language. It was reminiscent of Bjork at the Big Day Out, but a lot more warm and likeable.
Their set showcased much of their new album, including Blessed Brambles, which got a rousing reception from the crowd, and Marmalade Fires which they completed their set with. In a show of trademark European quirkiness, the band even broke out into a version of Kiss’ I Was Made For Lovin’ You, with the vocal part initially being played on the recorder. It received a big cheer from the crowd, who were most probably happy to see their beloved primary school instrument being put to use in a professional band. The ever capricious group saved their biggest surprise for the encore though, finishing with an ear drum-bursting macabre mass of sound that would have had the lads from TOOL taking notes had they heard it. It could only be described as the loudest gust of wind imaginable. It left one bar staff member hiding in the cupboard and the rest of them with their fingers in their ears. The force from the sound did actually provide a refreshing breeze, so at least the crowd was kept cool while their cochleas exploded.
Their music is different, unusual and at times totally bizarre, but in a live setting it becomes totally intriguing and mesmerising. Watching six highly intelligent musicians create these ambient soundscapes, often with instruments you weren’t even aware existed, is something that no review can really convey effectively. The group’s warm nature and obvious appreciation for their crowd and each other’s talents created the perfect atmosphere for the world of Múm. Anyone with a genuine interest in all things music should not miss this band when they next tour Australia.
