In múm’s August interview with the Grapevine, guitarist Róberta Andersen noted that the group has “become so good at being together.” Though she was emphasising the group’s cohesion as they embarked on a three-month tour, this quote encapsulates múm’s Sunday performance that closed out Iceland Airwaves. The sextet, who are marked by their maximalism, need to be skillfully synchronised to pull off their complex arrangements. múm’s shows have over double the number of instruments as people on stage, and every member but drummer Samuli Kosminen moved around the stage to take on a different instrument at some point in the show. Gyða Valtýsdóttir stewarded the group, performing mostly in the centre and consistently captivating the audience — whether through her remarkable cello playing (which she holds by a ribbon around her hips) or the hypnotic and aggressive dancing during “The Ballað Of The Broken Birdie Records” (which could also be called “repetitive falling” as she threw her body to the ground no less than twenty times). Later, she was joined by her twin sister Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir — a former member of múm — for an emphatic rendition of “Now There Is That Fear Again.” They were flanked on either side by Sigurlaug “Silla” Gísladóttir and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, who both contributed to stunning three-part harmonies with Gyða. Silla and Örvar each brought out melodicas during the show, which only added extra texture to the precise and beautiful piano of Gunnar Tynes (where he performed in a piano-themed cardigan). The group indulged in a pre-planned encore, but made it worth our while with their delicate performance of “We Have A Map Of The Piano.” After thanking different stage techs in various languages, the group took an arm-in-arm bow and wished us a good night. At its core, múm’s performance was everything Airwaves is meant to be about: remarkable music made by passionate bands, all happening in Iceland. Until next year. ISH
For more of Grapevine’s Iceland Airwaves coverage, you can read our reviews of Day One, Day Two, and Day Three.
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