EXPOSURE: My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men

The band Of Monsters and Men just released their debut studio album on this continent April 3.  It was released in their native Iceland last September.  After their debut single, “Little Talks,” topped the charts in Iceland, they began getting more and more attention, and were invited to perform at an Icelandic festival.  Their popularity snowballed from then on, and since being signed with Universal Music Group, their infectious sound is spreading worldwide.  The group began their first North American tour in March at Austin’s SXSW festival, where they were greeted with much enthusiasm and a lot of positive feedback. With a folksy upbeat feeling towards the beginning, the album transforms more into almost tribal-inspired beats and chanting as it progresses.  The band has stated that their sound attempts to reflect the “isolation” of Iceland, where, as the band’s Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir stated “we get stuck in our little world”. Their hit single “Little Talks” is the fifth track on the album, it is upbeat, and manages to stay relaxing and chill while maintaining a happy feeling.  “Mountain Sound” has a similar upbeat sound.  The tribal sound really begins with “Six Weeks,” when the heavier drumming begins.  The vocals, by Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson, are steady and in sync throughout.  Their voices mingle beautifully through each song, and Hilmarsdóttir’s is especially showcased during “Love Love Love,” a slowed down, more acoustic track.  Ending on a high note, with “Numb Bears” one is left with a really good feeling after the album is done. Overall, a coherent album with great sound throughout.  Definitely check this newly rising band out if you are into a more folksy, semi-tribal, upbeat sound with interesting lyrics, themes, and meaning. Here is the quite interesting new music video for the single from their new album, “Little Talks”.