A Shimmering Delight

Off in the distance, there are wind chimes, and the grass blows softly on the hillsides of Germany. Hundreds of bells, in unison. Each moment of the latest album by Múm, Menschen am Sonntag, exists in this glorious framework. The songs would fit perfectly as the soundtrack for a movie. Yet the most impressive aspect of this album is not its immaculate composition nor its masterful execution, the most impressive element is that this whole album is from a live set in Berlin.

Were it not for the helpful iTunes tags of (Live in Berlin) it would be literally impossible to tell that this album is live. It has none of the things that typically mar live albums, like roaring crowds or polite applause. Most notably it lacks the open air tinniness that makes so many live recordings difficult to listen to. From a sound quality standpoint it sounds as though it was recorded in a high-end studio, perhaps the only portion of this album that feels live is the stunning sound. While the quality and clarity is reminiscent of records created entirely in a studio, it has a depth and warmth to the sound that could only be obtained in a larger, quality venue, which ends up greatly benefiting the album.

The songs themselves are shimmering. “Cards” flutters with the tinkling of chimes and bells, which is then accented by a wistful, lingering piano portion which adds a much needed grounding element to the track. “Evaporate” is calmer and less dynamic while remaining easy to get lost in. It is largely piano and some grumbling electronics over a softly tapped technical drum part. The portions of the song are surprisingly complex and are delightful to get trapped in trying to find the loop points or changes of each element.

“Cycle Boats” takes the energy back up slightly and takes on a more bubbly tone. It feels like a track behind a field of flowers scene in a sappy robot rom-com in the far-off future. The electronics are light and bouncy and have a slight bit of sharpness and bucketfuls of warmth. “My Claws” closes out the album on a calmer note, in fact, it begins with a section that could easily be chimed through an infant’s mobile. As the track goes on more and more elements build, giving the track a layering to rival Blanck Mass or even Tim Hecker, as blasphemous as that may sound. This all adds up to one of the most potent tracks on the album, closing it on a superb high note.

Despite its minimal length, Menschen am Sonntag accomplishes a lot in its twenty-four minute run time. Each track goes through multiple layer additions and subtractions, creating a surprising amount of dynamic range in a small amount of type. Múm has gone and created one of the best listens of the year. The world often lacks short albums, especially these days in the throes of the “project album” frame of mind. Everyone should do themselves a favor and go check out Menschen am Sonntag, there’s nothing quite like it.