múm -- Early Birds

8/10

I praised múm's debut album, Yesterday Was Dramatic -- Today Is OK, in the review I posted for it last week. However, Early Birds, a collection of múm's pre-debut recordings, shows the band possessed all of this bustling creativity from the get go. Early Birds, befitting an early records collection, is more a collection of musical sketches than songs, and yet each one still feels realized and lived in. Vocals are notably absent, appearing far less than even the small amount featured on Yesterday Was Dramatic..., mostly popping up only as distant samples or live, but far off in the background. These wordless compositions are comforting, yet often high-energy electronic soundscapes, full of quirky noises, warm beats and textures, blended with acoustic instruments...plus,Early Birds' flow and sequencing are awesome. I think for even a newcomer, there's enough invention and fun here for many engaging listens. In fact, I think these recordings even further solidify how important múm's first trio of albums are to our planet's sonic history--if the stuff they were just fooling around with before those first albums were created still sounds this fresh, even after a million kids in their bedroom have attempted to cop this sound, múm must have been something really special...and they still could be. C'mon, múm, wow me again.


2012 Morr Music
1. Bak Þitt Er Sem Rennibraut 5:44
2. Póst Póstmaður 3:17
3. Gingúrt 4:00
4. Glerbrot [Previously Lost] 3:35
5. Hvernig Á Að Særa Vini Sína [Previously Unreleased] 2:46
6. Bak Þitt Er Sem Rennibraut [Bústadavegurer Fáviti Megamix Eftir Músíkvat] 4:12
7. Insert Coin [Bjarne Riis Arcade Game Mjiks Eftir Múm] 7:23
8. Loksins Erum Við Engin (Natturuoperan Song) 3:12
9. Náttúrúbúrú 2:29
10. 0,000Orð 4:51
11. Lalalala Blái Hnötturinn 4:32
12. Múm Spilar La La La 6:41
13. Hufeland 5:58
14. Volkspark Friedrichshain [Previously Forgotten] 3:48
15. Enginn Vildi Hlusta Á Fiðlunginn, Því Strengir Hans Vóru Slitnir [Getiði Ekki Verið Góð Við Mömmu Okkar] 10:11