
Review: múm – Smilewound
Published on September 12th, 2013 | Jonny Abrams
It’s hard to talk about múm’s sixth album Smilewound in non-hackneyed terms – glitchy, glacial electronics, that sort of thing – but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.
Smilewound is splendidly architectural, full of the kind of cross-sensory elements that contrast so effectively with the accessibility of the soft vocals and splendourous melodies.
Dig the sticky effects on “Toothwheels”, the shimmering twinkliness of “Underwater Snow” and the skittering rhythm section of the brilliantly titled “When Girls Collide”, for instance.
Or the popping, huffing, juddering “Candlestick”, the racing typewriter mechanics and Eastern swipes of string on “One Smile”, the divine arrangements and exhilaratingly unexpected ending of “Eternity is the Wait Between Breaths”.
“You’ve got time for love” we are informed on the slightly silly and, well, sweet “Sweet Impressions”, and we certainly do for Smilewound; it doesn’t sound like anything you wouldn’t expect, which is bound to frustrate some…but why meddle with such an effective formula?
Furthermore, closing track “Whistle” features Kylie Minogue. Quite frankly, it would be churlish to quibble. Much easier and more rewarding to just bask in it.
Smilewound is out now on Morr Music.
You can buy Smilewound on iTunes and on Amazon.
Rocksucker says: Three and a Half Quails out of Five!
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