Originally a duo, the band has expanded and contracted in the 12 years of being and has counted 15 - 20 people along the way.
The band was formed in 1997 by original members Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, their first release was a split 10" with the girl-band Spúnk and saw light in the summer of '98. They were joined a year later by twin sisters Gyða and Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir and released two albums as quartet. Following a number of collaborative projects, the group’s celebrated debut album Yesterday was dramatic - today is OK (reissued by Morr Music in October 2005) gained a wealth of glowing press and widespread praise. A remix project, Please Smile My Noise Bleed, also released on the Morr Music label in November 2001.
In 2002, after the release of Finally We Are No One and the extensive first world tour, Gyða left the band to return to her studies in Reykjavík. Shortly after, the third sister Ásthildur Valtýsdóttir joined for singing duties temporarily and Serena Tideman replaced Gyða on cello, for a single European tour. The band's third album, Summer Make Good, a darker and foggier, nautically themed work was released in May 2004, flanked by two singles, Nightly Cares and Dusk Log. By then the ensemble had evolved to include Eiríkur Ólafsson and Hildur Guðnadóttir (who had guest appearances on múm recordings from the beginning) and Ólöf Arnalds. In early 2006, Kristín also left the band after releasing and heavily touring the album Summer Make Good.
The start of 2006 saw the band's creativity start to blossom once again, starting with two remixes Goldfrapp of the tracks ‘Number 1’ and ‘You Never Know’. They followed this with two legendary DJ sets at the FatCat Festival in Belgium in February and SXSW in Austin Texas 2007. With a combination of decks, effects, laptops, toy microphones, old cassette player recordings and vocals, coupled with their own recorded material, strange electronic covers by friends, gypsy folk music and general craziness on stage. They were also subsequently invited DJ at Summer Sonic Festival in Japan as well as be headline act as DJ's in Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank tent at Bestival on the Isle of Wight. In september 2007 múm released Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy which turned out to be the bands last release for the Fatcat Records.
múm has always worked on projects which could be classed as unusual for a pop band or a pop collective. Among their extra curricular activity is their own soundtrack for the classic Sergei Eisenstein film, 'Battleship Potemkin', live performances of which have taken place in Hafnafjordur Iceland, Brooklyn Lyceum New York, and at the distinguished Gijon Film Festival Spain. múm have also composed for theater, most notably two radio theater plays, 'Svefnhjólið' (Sleeping Wheel) by Gyrdir Eliasson which won the Nordic Radio-theater prize and in 2008 Augu þín sáu mig (Your eyes saw me) by poet Sjón (which múm also worked with in 1999 on the operetta Kisa (cat). In 2005 they were invited to Amsterdam by the Holland Festival to collaborate with the National Dutch Chamber Orchestra to create a performance piece based around various compositions of the late avant-garde composer Iannis Xenakis for one of the centre piece shows at the festival.
múm released their fifth studio album, Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know, in August 2009. The collective now consists of founding members Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason and for touring and recording, this line-up is expanded to include their friends Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson (trumpet / piano/ keyboards), Hildur Guðnadóttir (cello / vocals), Sigurlaug Gísladóttir (Vocals / ukulele/ various), Róbert Reynisson (guitars/ukulele's) and the Finnish Samuli Kosminen (drums / percussion). The musical group sometimes extends to Ólöf Arnalds, Högni Egilsson, Ólafur Björn Ólafsson and Guðbjörg Hlín Guðmundsdóttir as well as a never ending family of friends and musicians who may join at the drop of a hat.
Official website: http://www.mum.is
Slow Down
múm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slow down, so I can catch you
Slow down, so I can catch you
Slow down, so I can catch you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
Slow down, so I can catch you
Slow down, so I can catch you
Slow down, so I can catch you
Slow down, slow down
Slow down 'cause I can't catch you
Slow down 'cause I can't catch you
Slow down 'cause I can't catch you
Slow down, slow down
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
I'm alone with you
The lyrics to múm's song Slow Down could be seen as a plea from the singer to someone they care about to take a break, both literally and metaphorically. The repeated request to "slow down" suggests that the other person is moving too fast, perhaps in terms of their lifestyle or the pace of their relationship. The line "so I can catch you" implies that the singer is afraid of losing this person if they continue on their current path.
The repetition of "I'm alone with you" adds an interesting layer to the lyrics. It could be interpreted as a paradoxical statement, as being alone suggests being without company, while being with someone else contradicts this. This could represent the singer's emotional state, feeling both connected to and disconnected from this person.
Overall, the lyrics of Slow Down are evocative of someone who cares deeply but is worried that their loved one might slip away. The request to slow down could be interpreted as a desire to maintain and nurture the connections between people, rather than allowing them to be eroded by the pressures of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
Slow down, so I can catch you
Please slow down your pace so that I can match up with you and not be left behind
I'm alone with you
Although we are together, I feel a sense of isolation and distance from you
Slow down 'cause I can't catch you
I am unable to keep up with you, hence I request you to slow down a bit for me to keep up
I'm alone with you
Despite being together, I feel like we are disconnected and there's a lack of intimacy between us
Contributed by Grace T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Devon Ernest
The 13 people that left dislikes are clearly demons.. This is angel music of the highest order.
russianvoodoo
there's love inside this track. pure and infinite. funny thing. I was thinking about where did I hear "slow down" phrase in a love song before recently. and bham! it was chemical brothers feat beck -wide open. but he was singing about loosing it. and here it's about finding it. completely different moods.
Fer Hilerio
One of the most beautiful songs in the world
Erica A
very soothing. like all their tracks.
Jay Cooper
Beautiful track.
Allëcio Fernandes
I love Mum!
Munther Adoo Jenix
wow wow ,, Loved them ,, where from I can download their albums ?!! I want them ..
Munther Adoo Jenix
thx buddy.
R. Salisbury
Munther Adoo Jenix
They will be on Soulseek for sure.
Munther Adoo Jenix
well I wish I can buy them it would be great ,, but I'm from Iraq and one of the lasted Awesomeness of this country that we don't have any online website nor even a fuckin credit card ! .. so thanks for the advise .