Of Monsters and Men’s My Head is an Animal [7.7]

Iceland has added yet another another name to the list of talented musical exports it ships around the world. Of Monsters and Men (@monstersandmen) first captured America’s attention when their sunny single “Little Talks” premiered on Philadelphia’s Radio 104.5 shortly after its September release in Iceland. Now, they’re in the midst of their first North American tour to support the release of My Head Is An Animal out on Universal. If you’re a fan of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Local Natives, then you may have just found your new favorite band.

My Head Is An Animal opens up with the swelling power of “Dirty Paws”, our first introduction to co-lead vocalists Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson. Heavy on harmony with thick layers buoyed by keyboard and accordion, the song demonstrates how the interplay between Hilmarsdóttir and Þórhallsson represents the core of the album’s beauty. “Mountain Sound”, another standout track, is instantly loveable with its catchy brightness and gang choir vocals, which become a trademark by the album’s end.

Of Monsters and Men, while not breaking any radical new ground in song structure or sound, have surveyed the indie landscape with an appraising eye and taken pages from some of the best and brightest. Though My Head Is An Animal won’t surprise listeners with novelty, Of Monsters and Men must be praised for the patience they’ve exerted. The songs build and swell with nuanced layers, allowing Hilmarsdóttir and Þórhallsson to shine at the forefront with intertwining vocal lines accentuated by a wide-open production ethic. There’s great promise in this Icelandic collective, so be sure to catch them on their North American tour before they head back home.