MUNA aren’t taking prisoners.
As good as their opening two albums were – and don’t forget, ‘Saves The World’ and ‘About U’ remain exceptional pieces of work – the band seem to up the ante each and every time.
Last year’s outstanding single ‘Silk Chiffon’ saw MUNA buddy up alongside Phoebe Bridgers, cementing their relationship with her Saddest Factory Records.
A stellar pop artefact, the band intend to follow this with a show at London’s Garage venue on May 10th, with all tickets selling out within minutes.
The band’s new album – self-titled, naturally – follows on June 24th, and it’s clear that MUNA are reaching their apex.
New single ‘Anything But Me’ offers ample proof of this. Succinct, clinical, and powerfully finessed, its synth-pop template is both familiar and utterly refreshing.
Exquisite pop music that steps outside the norm, it’s the work of a band entering what Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant once dubbed ‘the Imperial Phase’ – no, it’s not building overseas territories, it’s that feeling of being totally, utterly in control, and every decision being realised in emphatic style.
Here’s the press quote, which is typically illuminating…
“Breaking up is hard to do. In the past we’ve stayed in relationships for a long time, waiting until we hit low lows to admit it was over. ‘Anything But Me’ is a song about leaving a partnership simply because it doesn’t feel right. It’s about trusting yourself and your instincts enough to walk away from someone while you still have love for each other and before it gets too bad.”
“The video for the song plays with the idea that we’ve been our own captors in relationships, keeping ourselves in unhealthy dynamics, maybe because that’s what feels familiar. The song embodies the lightness and a playfulness that floods in when you realise that there’s no lock on the door, no one’s holding you back – you can untie the knot and skip into the sunset whenever you’re ready. Now, who can guess what attachment style I have?”
Katie, Naomi, and Josette have touched brilliance before, but this time feels particularly magical – check out ‘Anything But Me’ below.
Photo Credit: Isaac Schneider
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