In December 2004 Maus went on a hiatus. Band members decided to pursue other interests, academic and otherwise, outside of Iceland. Meanwhile, members were working on several music projects including Fræ (Palli's band), Sometime (Danni's band) and Biggi's solo project. Palli (as Páll Ragnar Pálsson) has become a respected classical composer after receiving his PhD in music from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in Tallinn. Birgir became a screenwriter and won the Icelandic film awards Edda with co-writer and director Baldvin Z for the film Life in a Fishbowl (or Vonarstræti), named after a popular track from Maus's fifth studio album, Musick.