Of Monsters and Men, All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade: “It kind of feels like returning home”

We sat down with Nanna from the band to dig into the creative process, the evolution of their sound, and what’s next on the horizon.

First things first, how would you describe this new album in just a few words?

We’ve been trying to figure out how to describe this album, and one way we've found to do so is that it feels like returning home in a way. Yeah, returning home is probably good.

The album’s title is quite evocative: All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade. What’s the story behind that?

It comes from one of the songs on the record. That song is told from a slightly different perspective, and when we heard All Is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade, it just struck us as a phrase that captures the mosaic of stories we were trying to tell: love, struggle, the strange intersections in between.

It’s been a long gap since your last full-length album. Has returning to the studio this time felt different?

Definitely, our last full-length was in 2019. Since then, we’ve done EPs and a documentary, but between that and this album was a pandemic, a lot has changed. Touring will feel different now. Even how people engage with music now has shifted. We’re still realising what all that means.

Did the break itself influence how you approached making this album?

For sure. We took time. We worked in Iceland, in our own space, and would sink into songs, then step away and come back with fresh ears. We were between labels at one point, so there was no pressure to rush. That freedom let us experiment. Also, having our own studio let us be intimate with the process. Most of the time it’s just us, but we did have occasional collaborators. Everything felt close, personal, familial.

Are there moments along the way that stand out, ones that shaped the tone or feel of the record?

Television Love was one. That became the opening single, and it’s when things clicked for us. Another is Fruit Bat. We recorded that with all of us in the same room, in a circle, listening and responding. You can hear that energy, that space between notes. Those moments were formative.

You’ve spoken a little about wanting a more organic sound this time. Did the band dynamic change during production?

Yes, the process evolved. Our last record leaned into heavy production; this one, we wanted more breathing room, more rawness. Songs would shift as we returned to them, quieter passages, textures, silence. We allowed ourselves room to shift direction.

Production-wise, were there concrete shifts in your approach this time around?

We were very intentional about trying to be in the same room, playing together, rather than layering separately. You lose something when you can’t see or feel each other in that moment. After years of isolation, we yearned for that connection. That sense of being together is central to this record.

You’re heading out on tour to bring this album to life live. What are you most looking forward to?

Being in the same room with people again. Playing new songs. There’s always a risk when you debut new material live; sometimes it doesn’t translate. But this batch has felt natural, fun, and exciting to perform. We can’t wait.

If you had to pick just one song that best sums up the spirit of the album, which would it be and why?

It’s hard to pick. Ordinary Creature captures a communal feeling with a touch of melancholy. But Styrofoam Cathedral also resonates, tension, narrative, emotion all wrapped together. Either could represent the thread we wove through the record.

What do you hope listeners get from this album, especially those who’ve followed you over the years?

I hope it feels meaningful. We’ve been around for almost 15 years now; playing older songs is like time travel. A lot of our fans have grown with us, changed with us. This record shows who we are now. I hope long-time listeners feel that we’ve grown beside them.

Finally, what’s next for Of Monsters and Men?

We’re going on a tour. First, the UK with a record store run, then America, then a full European and UK tour early next year. This album’s release is just the beginning.

Well, we can’t wait to see what’s next! Pre-order the new album below. 

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