MÚM + FOUR TET
London Camden Dingwalls 30th May 2002
What is a less clichéd way of saying 'it was a game of two halves' I wonder? I can't think of one at the moment, but this gig was almost certainly an example of that cliché in action.
Four Tet is the other project of Fridge's Kieron Hebden, currently gaining huge acclaim on the back of the excellent 'Paws' album. Tonight, it's just Kieron on his own with an array of samplers and turntables, and he absolutely thrives on the hot, sweaty atmosphere inside Dingwalls. Four Tet's music is more organic and soulful than a lot of the electronica it gets pigeonholed with, and there is a definite raw edge to it tonight. It twists and turns unexpectedly, but manages to hold on to the audience attention, no doubt winning a few people over in the process. This comes across as a superb support slot, little wonder that Radiohead have chosen Four Tet as their opening act on their summer European dates.
Múm (pronounced Mooom in case you were wondering!) are another act whose critical reputation precedes them. Hailing from Iceland, they're essentially two identical twins from a folk music background combined with experimental electronic musicians providing beats and glitches. I know that equation will add up to the last two Bjork albums, and in fact that lazy comparison isn't far off the mark.
Despite releasing one of the best albums of 2002 ('Finally we are No-one') Múm take a while to really impress this Dingwalls crowd. Somewhere like Union Chapel would be the ideal environment to appreciate their delicate music, but in this packed noisy club it gets a bit lost. The girls' voices seem too fragile at first, the live drums don't gel with the whole set up either.
Then, during 'Green Grass of Tunnel' it all comes together and they've sucked us in. From here it's magical. The naivety with which they play their instruments becomes charming, and the folk touches hint at contemporary European musicians like Yann Thiersen rather than the usual post-rock suspects. Traditional accordions and percussion blend with the electronics and those delicate voices to create something very distinctive. They obviously share their origins and ethnic musical influences with Bjork and Sigur Ros but, even though they're only in their late teens they have definitely found their own voice.
It does need a quieter environment to be appreciated properly, but Múm appear to have something very special. Not quite as awesome as their two albums to date, but still worth experiencing live.
