Mimas (band)
Encyclopedia
Mimas is a Danish band, based in Aarhus
. The band comprises Iceland
-born Snævar Njáll Albertsson (vocals, guitar, trumpet), Daniel Malling Beck (guitars, vocals, glockenspiel), Gert Hoberg Jørgensen (bass, vocals), and Lasse Dahl (drums, vocals).
Mimas signed to Big Scary Monsters Recording Company
in 2008, and their debut album The Worries was released on October 6, 2008.
The quartet has also signed to the French label Distile Records who released the album in Europe and in the U.S. in 2009. Their second album Lifejackets was released in October 2010.
Hands Will Carry, which received positive reviews. One track from the EP, "Thought Discuss", was released by British record label Worst Case Scenario
in 2006. The EP's reputation secured the band a slot on the bill at Roskilde Festival
2005. Furthermore, the band have also played with bands such as Mono
, Menomena
, This Town Needs Guns
and Why?. In 2007, the band released a "teaser" CD of songs from their forthcoming album, which was sold at shows on that summer's UK tour. However, upon returning to Denmark, the band decided to re-record all the songs they had completed thus far.
In Summer 2009 Mimas completed their "Mimas and Papas
European Tour 2009", although they were forced to abandon their van (known by the band and their fans as Satan) after it broke down in Spain, just a few days before the final show. In October 2009 they returned to the UK for a 5-date tour with Birmingham based math-rockers (and fellow BSM signings) Shapes.
In mid-2010, they announced that the album would be titled Lifejackets, and would be released by BSM in the UK, and Pad and Pen records in Europe. It was released in October 2010.
, the band have recently preferred to use the phrase "Death-Indie" to describe their music. Indeed, earlier Mimas songs (up to and including those from the Hands Will Carry era) fitted better into the Post-Rock template, while the more recent songs have shown a departure from this original style. The band list their main influences as Do Make Say Think
, Why?, Mogwai
and Pavement
. It is often noted that Mimas' sound has more in common with the music of Iceland than Denmark, and the band have put this down to vocalist Albertsson's Icelandic heritage.
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
. The band comprises Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
-born Snævar Njáll Albertsson (vocals, guitar, trumpet), Daniel Malling Beck (guitars, vocals, glockenspiel), Gert Hoberg Jørgensen (bass, vocals), and Lasse Dahl (drums, vocals).
Mimas signed to Big Scary Monsters Recording Company
Big Scary Monsters Recording Company
Big Scary Monsters Recording Company is a British based independent record label. Probably the most well-known acts associated with the label are This Town Needs Guns, Kevin Devine, Pulled Apart By Horses, Walter Schreifels, Andrew WK and Get Cape. Wear Cape...
in 2008, and their debut album The Worries was released on October 6, 2008.
The quartet has also signed to the French label Distile Records who released the album in Europe and in the U.S. in 2009. Their second album Lifejackets was released in October 2010.
History
Mimas has existed, in some form or another, since 2001, and previously went under the name Astronaut, but the original lineup - the current lineup plus Kenn Hedegaard Eskildsen (keyboards, synths, samples) - wasn't cemented until around 2005. On April 1, 2005, the band self-released their debut EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Hands Will Carry, which received positive reviews. One track from the EP, "Thought Discuss", was released by British record label Worst Case Scenario
Worst Case Scenario
Worst Case Scenarios is a reality show aired on TBS in 2002 in the United States. The show was hosted by Mike Rowe and it featured demonstrations by stunt men on how to survive worst-case scenarios...
in 2006. The EP's reputation secured the band a slot on the bill at Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
2005. Furthermore, the band have also played with bands such as Mono
Mono (Japanese band)
Mono are a Japanese post rock band, formed in 1999 in Tokyo, Kantō, Honshū. The band consists of Takaakira Goto , Yoda , Tamaki Kunishi , and Yasunori Takada .Mono have released five studio albums...
, Menomena
Menomena
Menomena are an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States; currently made up of Justin Harris, Danny Seim and more recently Joe Haege of 31Knots and Tu Fawning...
, This Town Needs Guns
This Town Needs Guns
This Town Needs Guns, are a math rock band originating from Oxford in the United Kingdom. They were formed in 2004, and are currently signed to Sargent House , Zankyo as well as Big Scary Monsters which ended in August 2009.Their debut full length album, Animals, was released in UK via Big Scary...
and Why?. In 2007, the band released a "teaser" CD of songs from their forthcoming album, which was sold at shows on that summer's UK tour. However, upon returning to Denmark, the band decided to re-record all the songs they had completed thus far.
The Worries (2008-2009)
In early 2008, Eskildsen left the band, in an amicable split, and the band continued work on songs for their debut album. The album was completed in the spring of 2008, and the band subsequently signed with BSM. The Worries was released on October 6, 2008. Reviews of the album so far have generally been extremely positive.In Summer 2009 Mimas completed their "Mimas and Papas
The Mamas & the Papas
The Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
European Tour 2009", although they were forced to abandon their van (known by the band and their fans as Satan) after it broke down in Spain, just a few days before the final show. In October 2009 they returned to the UK for a 5-date tour with Birmingham based math-rockers (and fellow BSM signings) Shapes.
Lifejackets (2009 - present)
Following extensive UK and European touring in support of The Worries, Mimas returned to Aarhus to begin work on their second album, which was written and recorded throughout 2009 and early 2010. Throughout this period, their live show featured several of the new songs, such as Sodapop Stalkers and Rotting Rodents, which were being played live as early as September 2008.In mid-2010, they announced that the album would be titled Lifejackets, and would be released by BSM in the UK, and Pad and Pen records in Europe. It was released in October 2010.
Musical style
While many journalists have been quick to label Mimas' style as Post-RockPost-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
, the band have recently preferred to use the phrase "Death-Indie" to describe their music. Indeed, earlier Mimas songs (up to and including those from the Hands Will Carry era) fitted better into the Post-Rock template, while the more recent songs have shown a departure from this original style. The band list their main influences as Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say Think is a Canadian instrumental post-rock band from Toronto, Ontario. Their music combines jazz style drums, distorted guitars and wind instruments, as well as a prominent use of the bass guitar.-Biography:...
, Why?, Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
and Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
. It is often noted that Mimas' sound has more in common with the music of Iceland than Denmark, and the band have put this down to vocalist Albertsson's Icelandic heritage.