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
the land between solar
múm Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming through the grass,
Deeper it goes, through the wall it goes
Singing me a song, sing me to sleep
There's that noise again,
Coming through the grass,
Louder it goes
There's that place again
There behind the hills
The lyrics of múm's song The Land Between Solar Systems seem to be describing a feeling of fear and unease that is creeping in slowly but surely. The fear is personified as a voice that is singing a lullaby, trying to put the singer to sleep. The fear seems to deepen and penetrate through walls, almost as if it is omnipresent and inescapable. The repetition of the line "singing me to sleep" adds to the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of the song. The second stanza introduces a new element: a noise that is also coming through the grass and is louder than the fear. Its effect is the same, though; it sings the singer to sleep. The final stanza mentions a place behind the hills, which could be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of the mind. The place could be a memory or a feeling that is the root of the fear and noise. The lyrics give a sense of being trapped and helpless, as if the fear and noise are inescapable.
Line by Line Meaning
There's that fear again,
Anxiety has returned, sensed from the surroundings.
Coming through the grass,
The fear is creeping in like a hidden predator.
Deeper it goes, through the wall it goes
The fear is spreading further and penetrating deeper, breaking down any barriers.
Singing me a song, sing me to sleep
The fear is lulling me into a state of calm submission.
There's that noise again,
A disturbance is noticed.
Coming through the grass,
The noise is building up and nearing.
Louder it goes
The noise is becoming more intense and jarring.
Singing me to sleep.
The noise is having a hypnotic effect and leading to a state of unconsciousness.
There's that place again
A familiar location is revisited.
There behind the hills
The place is hidden away and remote, offering seclusion and solitude.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
prickly ashes
there's that fear again,
coming through the grass,
deeper it goes, through the wall it goes
singing me a song, sing me to sleep..
there's that noise again,
coming through the grass,
louder it goes
singing me to sleep.
there's that place again
there behind the hills..
skiba801
Múm, Sigur Rós as well as Björk have changed my life. I can honestly say that they inspired me to go to Iceland and settle down there for the rest of my life.
Tomek K
Man, I know you might be already dead as 9 years has passed since you put this comment but I just want to say THANK YOU for point Sigur Rós out in you comment. I didn't knew them and I just have checked it out... absolutely awesome, no words to describe them, Thank You man. I really appreciate it.
Merely Meas
This song is so underrated it's untrue, I'm completely sober and the music alone takes me to another plane of existence, It truly shows you a land between solar systems.
Ant
Laying down on a giant pillows which were spread across the stage and viewing this song live was the most hypnotizing and exhilarating experiences of my life. Timeless music from such a talented band. 🌹❤️
Rigo Rob
First time I heard this song I was deep in a melancholy state riding my bike in a nature trail... I had a joint rolled. I went off the trail and sat on a cliff overlooking the man made lake ahead of me... I also remember feeking incredibly high thnking I had sparked my joint and started smoking it, then I realized I had not even lit it, I was in such a trance that I felt high, not a "im fucked up bro" high ... a fucking intensely soulful high. this song was so helpful... I love the universe
Matheus Steffen
Eu já estava sensibilizado com um livro que tava lendo, que me deixou flutuando em mim mesmo, e escutando essa música fui completamente arrebatado! O momento em que ficamos preparados e presentes para uma música é magico. Uma das belezas da vida.
Double F
I want to go to this land, hope I can see you there again mom, wait for me, I miss you deeply.
Meanwhile I’ll be going everyday listening to this song and flying away in my mind to this amazing place.
probityk
Has anyone else cried hysterically to this song, as well as laugh and smile profusely in bliss? This song hits the tipping point to my most extreme emotions. Love.
Surface_Glow
DeadRoses88 YouTube comments are better than anything on tv right now.
Wagner
probityk This happened to me.
This song makes me think about all the difficulties and pain that I've lived, and if, in the end, it really will be worth it...