Mum - Marmalade Fires

In a world of instant kicks, the gentle minute-long intro of a building mandolin, toy piano and melodica, on the new single from Iceland’s Mum (no, not frozen food harpy Kerry Katona) is a rare and precious thing.

The song slowly develops a slight stammering beat and comforting horns. The half-hushed nonsense lyrics are sung with a tender passion that makes them seem like the heart-aching missives of Abelard and Heloise. By the time the lush strings come in you are totally immersed in their understated, yet enrapturing world. Like countrymen Sigur Ros, but without the dramatics.