Early Birds

Múm's Early Birds lives up to its name, gathering the first recordings of the band that would help pioneer the music known as "indietronic" a few years later. Sonically, these songs, which date from 1998 to 2000, show that the pieces of Múm's aesthetic were more or less in place from the start: "Bak _itt Er Sem Rennibraut" boasts the naive, limpid synth tones and intricate yet understated beats that characterized albums like Yesterday Was Dramatic -- Today Is OK. The one notable absence is that of Gyda and Kristín Anna Valtysdóttir's childlike soprano vocals, which helped crystallize the sweet, sometimes sinister sound of Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar _óreyjarson Smárason's arrangements. Indeed, Early Birds is largely instrumental, which exposes the underpinnings of Múm's songs more than most of their albums did; "Gingúrt"'s buzzy melody and busy beats sound like a collaboration between Plone and Aphex Twin, while "Insert Coin [Bjarne Riis Arcade Game Mjiks Eftir Múm]" hints at a chiptune influence with its 8-bit tones and fizzy guitars. The collection boasts a generous amount of tracks, some of which were never previously released, like "Hvernig á Ad Særa Vini Sína," and others, such as the breakbeat-heavy "Glerbrot," which simply got lost in the shuffle. Given that Early Birds is an hour-plus odds-and-sods compilation, it's not surprising that it doesn't flow like a proper album, but it does show that Múm knew what they were doing from the start. This comprehensive audio sketchbook will please fans who want to trace the evolution of one of the most distinctive-sounding electronic pop groups of the 2000s. ~ Heather Phares