múm – Kill the Light
múm’s upcoming album History of Silence is out September 19th via Morr Music.
It is the first full body of work by the Icelandic collective since 2013’s Smilewound and their seventh studio album to date—recorded, deconstructed, put back together again, refined and finished over the course of two years. Vibrantly oscillating around a carefully curated palette of electronic and analogue sounds, the eight new tracks reflect the group’s continuous striving to explore sonic spaces through subtle yet gripping songwriting.
Today, they share the new single and video “Kill the Light,” which is airy and catchy. Footage of naturalistic splendor compliments the slow burning catharsis of the song.
“It’s easily the most light hearted song on the album,” Örvar Smárason says about the new track. “Lots of sunshine, 4 track cassette beat, mangled guitar, wonky bass and distorted vocals. It starts with the sound we recorded from a camera flash going off, so it literally begins with a burst of light.”
For a long time now, múm have been exploring the idea of distance in their music. In the beginning, this was born purely out of necessity. Founded in Iceland in the late 1990s, the members soon began embarking on journeys across the world—collectively while touring, but also individually, exploring new places to live and create. Settling in, moving on, catching up: The concept of distance soon became an integral part of the collective’s process. History of Silence leans into this idea, with space and time becoming indispensable pillars of the arrangements. While being coherent and structured, they echo their origins from different seasons, cities, and spaces—neatly stitched together with unparalleled craftsmanship. They breathe an overall airy and intimate atmosphere, yet resonate with the structural heft of time.
On History of Silence time manifests in unexpected, liberating, and mesmerizing ways. It does not move reliably forward; it drifts, takes twists and turns, even disappears completely. Electronic textures blur into acoustic sounds, voices flicker and dissolve, melodies stumble and repeat. The arrangements often feel like they’re wandering, gently resisting direction. “Our Love is Distorting,” for instance, begins with a subtle piano motif, playing hide and seek with feedback noises, digital artefacts, and lush—yet very quiet—string arrangements, before gradually forming into a distinctive song. It’s a perfect illustration of múm’s general approach on this album.
Work on History of Silence began at Sudestudio in southern Italy. Additional recordings were made in Reykjavík, Berlin, Athens, Helsinki, New York, and Prague. The strings were recorded by Sinfonia Nord at the Hof concert hall, Akureyri, arranged and conducted by Ingi Garðar Erlendsson, who has worked with the band for many years. The orchestral elements don’t dominate the record—instead, they surface gently, adding depth and resonance to the songs without disturbing the songs’ fragility.
Contrary to what the album title suggests, History of Silence is a collection of bold and colorful songs, no matter how muted they might sound at times. They tickle like a feather drifting through the wind, ending up in unexpected places, stimulating long-forgotten thoughts and feelings, intimate moments of introspection. The songs move through the echoes those moments leave behind: the emotional traces of things unsaid, the weight of stillness. Offering closeness by means of distance and much-needed support.
The Icelandic outfit recently returned with a closing night showcase at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, and will be back for a coast-to-coast North American tour starting this September.
múm Tour Dates
9/16 – Philadelphia PA – Underground Arts
9/17 – Washington DC – The Atlantik
9/19 – Brooklyn NY – Pioneer Works
9/20 – Hudson NY – Hudson Hall
9/21 – Boston NY – Crystal Ballroom
9/23 – Portland ME – Space
9/25 – Toronto ON – Axis
9/26 – Chicago IL – Old Town School of Folk
9/28 – Saint Paul MN – Turf Club
9/30 – Denver CO – Meow Wolf
10/3 – Portland OR – Wonder Ballroom
10/4 – Vancouver BC – The Pearl
10/5 – Seattle WA – Neptune Theatre
10/7 – Sacramento CA – Harlows
10/8 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
10/9 – Los Angeles CA – The Regent
#mumtheband