Múm

Múm’s Peel Sessions were recorded in 2002 — they feature four alternate versions of songs that were available on the Icelandic electronic group’s 2000 debut release. As is the case with these things, if you’re already an ardent fan, you probably don’t need to be sold on this — and if you’re not, you’re better off buying the full-length. While Múm’s sound — consistently pretty, upbeat electronic pop — always makes for a pleasant listen, at times it seems like an unmitigated hodgepodge of benign blips and bleeps. Still, it makes lovely background music, and there are high points ("Awake on a Train”) that, if stretched out, could have made this a terrific EP. If you’re a stressed-out student that tends to study in 25-minute intervals, this would provide a great soundtrack for a brief wade through your textbooks. If you’re one of those people that likes to see the words "ambient soundscapes” in print, however, you should buy the record these songs originated from and enjoy it in full.