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
WHISTLE
múm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not so unusual
It might seem strange
But I know I'll always believe in girls
I bite my lip
I whistle at the rain
I'll be friends with the girls
Her empty chair
Untouched bowl of soup
It might seem strange
But I left it standing there for days
Forget the pain
Whistle at the rain
'Cause I'm friends with the girls
Again
Forget the pain
Spit at the rain
'Cause I'm friends with the girls
Again
Yeah I'm friends with the girls
Again
I bleed like a pig
I chew like a cannibal
Someone's left the window open
I think it may be time to leave the house
Forget the pain
Whistle at the rain
'Cause I'm friends with the girls
Again
Yeah I'm friends withe the girls again
The song "Whistle" by múm is a beautiful and poetic expression of pain and healing, of loneliness and connection, and of the power of friendship. The lyrics are introspective and enigmatic, inviting interpretation and introspection.
The first stanza of the song begins with the singer confessing to bleeding like a pig and finding it not so unusual. This is a metaphorical representation of the singer's emotional vulnerability and sensitivity, which is often seen as a weakness in society. The line "But I know I'll always believe in girls" suggests that the singer finds solace and comfort in female friendships, which are often more empathetic and nurturing than male friendships. The singer then bites their lip and whistles at the rain, which is a symbol of releasing pent-up emotions and expressing sorrow. The last line of the stanza suggests a hopeful resolution to the singer's pain, as they anticipate reconnecting with their female friends.
The second stanza is more mysterious, with the singer describing an empty chair and an untouched bowl of soup left standing there for days. This could be a metaphor for a departed loved one, or a symbol of the singer's refusal to let go of the past. Regardless, the singer encourages themselves to forget the pain and whistle at the rain once more, as a way of coping with loss and finding inner peace. The repetition of the line "Forget the pain" emphasizes the importance of letting go of hurtful memories and focusing on the present, while the final line "Yeah I'm friends with the girls again" suggests a sense of relief and joy at the prospect of reconnecting with loved ones.
Overall, the song "Whistle" is a poignant and uplifting reminder of the healing power of friendship, of the importance of expressing emotions, and of the beauty of finding hope and joy in times of sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
I bleed like a pig
I am vulnerable and often get hurt easily.
It's not so unusual
This is normal behavior for me, despite what others might think.
It might seem strange
My actions may appear odd or out of place to others.
But I know I'll always believe in girls
I have a strong belief in the power and capabilities of women.
I bite my lip
I am holding back my emotions or thoughts, likely out of fear or discomfort.
I whistle at the rain
I am using this action as a way to release tension or express myself.
I'll be friends with the girls again
I am seeking companionship and connection with women once more.
Her empty chair
A seat that once held someone who is now gone or absent.
Untouched bowl of soup
A meal that has been left untouched, perhaps as a result of grief or loss.
But I left it standing there for days
I have been unable to move on or let go of what was lost.
Forget the pain
I am trying to move on from a difficult experience or feeling.
Spit at the rain
I am expressing anger or frustration towards the world around me.
'Cause I'm friends with the girls again
I am finding comfort and support in my relationships with women once more.
Yeah I'm friends with the girls
I have reconnected with my female friends and feel supported by them.
I chew like a cannibal
I am uneasy or uncomfortable in my own skin.
Someone's left the window open
There is a vulnerability or weakness that has been exposed.
I think it may be time to leave the house
I am acknowledging that it may be time to move on or break free from my current situation.
Contributed by Adeline N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.