múm

With the departure of vocalist Kristín Vlatýsdóttir, múm expand their sound and members to fill the gap. Gone is her otherworldly voice floating over the skittish mix of electronics and aching symphonies, but in its place the band have shifted from a childlike sense of loss and wonder to a much more exuberant and playful sound. The songs on Go Smear The Poison Ivy are still filled with the wide-eyed wonder that marked their earlier work but now the tone seems celebratory and the tempos have quickened likewise. The electronics on the album scutter and twist along beautifully, twining themselves amongst the bells and violins quite naturally. Voices, both male and female chime in like schoolyard playmates. But as the album winds down the band return to a more somber feeling, spreading out into two captivating cinematic pieces that draw the album to a close. It's almost unfair to even compare the album to early works, they're similar but with such a shift in personnel this is really the sound of a band using change as a catalyst to venture way beyond their previous means. Go Smear the Poison Ivy is out September 24th.

Download:
[MP3] múm -They Made Frogs Smoke 'Til They Exploded