múm (pronounced [muːm], “moom”) is an experimental electronic group from Ic… Read Full Bio ↴múm (pronounced [muːm], “moom”) is an experimental electronic group from Iceland whose music is characterized by soft vocals, eccentric beats and colorful effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments.

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

Time to Scream and Shout
múm Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the morning
When it's dawning
That's when we go out
Put our masks on
Put our clothes on
Time to scream and shout

It's time to scream and shout

While the sun sets
Orange dust cloud
Sweeps into the ground
We storm the palace
Burn the curtains
Time to think out loud

It's time to think out loud

In the evening
Streetlight beauty
That's when we go out
Smash the windows
Slash the tires
Time to scream and shout

It's time to scream and shout

In the moon peak
We go dancing
On the barren grace
All is quiet
All is quiet
Time to sleep for days

It's time to scream and shout

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of múm's song Time to Scream and Shout evoke a sense of rebellion and liberation. The opening lines depict a new day, signaling the beginning of a journey - a time to venture out and face the world. Putting on masks and clothes is symbolic of gearing up for a battle or a rebellion where there is an innate need to conceal one's identity, possibly underlining the concept of individuality. As the day progresses, the lyrics take a dramatic turn, and the rhythm is more upbeat with the use of elements like sweeping orange dust cloud and storming the palace. This could be referring to the idea of breaking the shackles and taking over the ruling classes, which is metaphorically represented by burning the curtains.

The evening brings with it a different mood, represented by the streetlights, which are a symbol of hope and beauty. The lyrics here have a more violent tone - smashing windows and slashing tires - indicating a sense of anger or frustration. This could be representative of dreaming of living in a society free of oppression, a place where the youth would not have to suffer in silence. In the moon peak, the lyrics shift once again, this time with serene and peaceful visuals like dancing on gracefulness. The phrase, "Time to sleep for days," could be an indication of a long-awaited imperturbability, finally free from the obligations of its oppressors.

Overall, the lyrics of Time to Scream and Shout are imbued with the rebellion against the system, a desire to break free from the chains that bind and to truly live life without fear.

Line by Line Meaning

In the morning
As the day begins

When it's dawning
As the sun starts to rise

That's when we go out
That's the time to take action

Put our masks on
To hide our true selves and intentions

Put our clothes on
Get ready for the day ahead

Time to scream and shout
Express ourselves without holding back

While the sun sets
As the day comes to a close

Orange dust cloud
A visual representation of chaos

Sweeps into the ground
Chaos takes over the order

We storm the palace
Revolt against the elite

Burn the curtains
Destroy symbols of wealth and power