múm - Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy

múm ("moom," they say) met in Iceland in 1997 whilst working on a children's play, and appear on the front cover photo of Belle & Sebastian's Fold Your Hands Child album. Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy, which must be a bad translation, sounds like a children's play as soundtracked by some smart people from Iceland who like to experiment, without alienating their audience. It's warm and friendly, made from sterner stuff than Sigur Ros, but still making use of strings and nonsensical (badly translated?) choral singing. Unlike their global TV star compatriots, múm add beats, children, electronic echoes and burps, toys and twinkling, humming and harmonica, synths and pianos, and ricochets. A debut in 2000 – Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK – was superior, but four records since have meandered by without anyone caring. Go Go is múm's prettiest progeny since. [Ally Brown]