Second on the list of my favourite six albums from 2019, is the sophomore album from MUNA. A three-piece electro pop outfit from LA.
I do want to emphasise, that this is not an LA-centric list. I will stray from what was admittedly a musical hotspot in 2019 in the next post, and also want to put on record that these are not in any particular order. That being said, I genuinely think I would struggle to make a case against this album being my absolute favourite from 2019. Certainly, in drafting this post, I was finding it difficult to put pen to paper, purely because I wanted to make sure I do this album justice and give it the respect that I think it wholeheartedly deserves.
To diverge just slightly before I start talking about the album itself, I have always considered myself a music fan. However, I was perhaps guilty of pigeonholing my interest in certain genres whilst growing up. During my self-imposed musical exile (I’m learning that my writing is susceptible to a reasonable amount of hyperbole) I think I had grown tired of the same genres. However, there were a few genres that pulled me out of this rut. The first and most important of these being Hip-Hop, a genre that ashamedly, I had never truly explored. Following this enlightenment, I am happy to say that it remains one of the most refreshing and exciting genres to me, but that’s for another post. One of the other genres however, was a slightly more self-indulgent and niche affair, being what I will loosely define as Synthwave.
I think to some extent, Synthwave gets a (not completely undeserved) hard time. With a vast number of – quite frankly – ludicrous sub-genres, in its most basic form it is synthesiser based music with an emphasis on evoking 80’s culture. Think loosely of the soundtrack to Stranger Things, or the brilliant Drive (2011) and you’re heading in the right direction. I will say that in my opinion, there are some fantastic purveyors of the genre who either understand the limited boundaries and have fun with it, or try to move it in interesting directions away from its slightly one-dimensional core. If you are interested, there are a few artists I would recommend, which I have noted below:
- Com Truise
- Gunship
- The Midnight
- Carpenter Brut
To move back in the right direction, the reason for this tangent is that whilst Synthwave is great fun, the genre feels a little saturated and is perhaps guilty of treading the same path too often. However, the tight production, synth soundscapes, soaring hooks and lead lines really drew me to it. The first time I heard MUNA’s “Saves the World” was immediately refreshing, in that the same sort of sounds and seedling ideas I had fallen for were not being used in a way that sequestered themselves to a musical niche. The themes and ideas explored in “Saves the World”, whilst often dark in subject matter, are far more relatable and accessible than Neon cyberspace and Atari video games.
So, to finally talk about the album. I will firstly say that it is always a beautiful moment when you hear an album for the first time and are able to skip the emotional foreplay, so to speak. Not having to endure repeat listens to know if the album is really going to endear itself to you. Right from the off, I was invested in this album. Stopping what I was doing at the time to give it my full attention and ensure that I listened to it in it’s entirety. “Saves the World” opens with the understated “Grow”, which works fantastically as a pleasing opener, but the album really kicks off with the second track “Number One Fan” which, rest assured, is a banger. Opening with the line:
So I heard the bad news
Nobody likes me and I’m gonna die alone
(I promise this post is not a cry for help), a powerful line that sets the tone for the rest of the album brilliantly. The theme is straightforward enough, as the song weaves a narrative of overcoming negative thoughts through self belief and empowerment. The track jolts into life with a pulsing kick drum and bass synth, accompanying lead singer, Katie Gavin’s, vocals. The reverb throughout the introduction of the track is minimal, and feels almost claustrophobic, lending itself brilliantly to the themes of feeling trapped with negative thoughts, before the chorus really opens everything up. The use of a vocoder for the vocal harmonies in the chorus feels almost like a Kylie Minogue “Wow” callback (in my opinion, a bonus), but it is the hooks not only within this chorus, but consistent throughout the entire album that I find to be truly masterful. In fact, I think I could comfortably talk about any track on this album at length, because they all have enough about them to feel as though they could work as standalone singles. The fact that they are all crammed into one album, feels like a real treat.
As I briefly touched upon, a lot of the themes on the album are dark, but it is great to hear these being explored to some degree. Whether it is themes of sex being explored on the track “Pink Light”, depression on “Good News (Ya-Ya Song)” or themes of addiction & suicidal thoughts on “It’s gonna be okay, baby”, they are all delved into in a personal manner, based on real experiences, but almost always with a spin of positivity and empowerment.
We can look back at “Number One Fan” as an example of this. The opening line mentioned above, is offset later in the song with the juxtaposing line:
So here’s the bad news
I’m coming for everyone and coming on strong.
Similarly, the track “Pink Light” tells of the feeling of waking up after another one-night stand, craving something more meaningful and feeling worthless in this respect. However, in the chorus Katie Gavin sings:
But there’s a pink light in my apartment
It comes mid-morning as a reminder
That at the right time, in the right surroundings
I will be lovely
None of the songs encapsulate the reassurance of positivity better than the concluding track “It’s gonna be okay, baby”. An ode to Gavin’s own challenging path of self-discovery. She sings of the highs and lows of exploring her own sexuality, depression and drug addiction as well as the relationships along the way. However, the song is interspersed throughout with reassurance of “It’s gonna be okay, baby”. As mentioned, the song is a callback to a past self but the resounding positive message that punctuates the six chapter-like verses, rounds the album off perfectly whilst almost acting as a summation of the album’s themes.
“Saves the World” does not cloud it’s messages, and there is little in the way of allegory. However, in telling real and personal stories, MUNA immediately captured me when listening to this album. This is of course made all the more appealing by the tight production, infectious hooks and pulsing electro-pop. However, what really elevates the album for me, are the unifying messages of positivity on show. It never feels as though MUNA are trying to make grandiose, zealot-like statements, however the moments that feel perfectly interspersed, embrace the challenges that have formed them. At a time when there is so much division, negativity and doubt, these sorts of messages are so important. In fact, it does not feel completely absurd to say that “Saves the World” goes a small way in doing just that, and for these reasons it is an absolute pleasure to be able to recommend it.
Thanks for reading! As always, please support the artist. I have copied the link to MUNA’s music page below and the album is available for streaming on all good music platforms. Once again, I’d love to hear what you thought of the album or similar recommendations.
Elliott's Music Chat 