characterized by soft vocals, electronic glitch beats and effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments. The band was formed in 1997 by original members Gunnar Örn Tynes and Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, who were joined by twin sisters Gyða and Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir. According to Kristín, the band's name was not intended to mean anything. Gyða left the band to return to her studies after the release of Finally We Are No One. In early 2006, Kristín also left the band, although it was not officially announced until 23 November of that year. With only Tynes and Smárason remaining in the group, a large group of new musicians were brought on board: guitarist/vocalist/violinist Ólöf Arnalds, trumpet/keyboard player Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson, vocalist/cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir, percussionist Samuli Kosminen, and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Mr. Silla. The new collective of musicians recorded their fourth album during 2006; Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy was released on 24 September 2007. múm toured the East Coast of the US with German musician Volker "Hauschka" Bertelmann In November 2007. They returned in Spring 2008 with the same set list. Both tours included songs from the album, Go, Go Smear the Poison Ivy. On 27 August 2008, they announced on their official website that "múm is quietly but surely [working on] their new album. No release date has been etched in stone, but every day will bring it closer." múm also released several pictures of themselves during the recording process on their My Space page. During a 22 May 2009 concert in Burgos, Spain, múm played songs from their newest album Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know. The album, recorded in Finland, Estonia, and Iceland, was released as a download through Gogoyoko on 17 August 2009, and on CD on 24 August 2009. múm launched in December 2011 an EP called Gleðileg Jól (Merry Christmas in Icelandic) with traditional Icelandic Christmas songs. There are two songs plus one extra track. On 1 June 2012, múm launched a compilation featuring 15 tracks recorded between 1998 and 2000 named "Early Birds". On 9 February 2013, a collaboration of theirs with Kylie Minogue called "Whistle" surfaced on SoundCloud.