Dancing On The Wall

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MUNA’s gradual evolution from the monochrome melodrama of their 2017 debut to a more sparky, technicolor sonic palette hits a peak with their fourth studio effort, <i>Dancing on the Wall</i>. Balancing on the musical knife-edge between ecstasy and existential crisis, the LA-based indie-pop band—fronted by lead vocalist Katie Gavin—lacquer their doubts and desires with shimmering synths and heated guitar riffs, masking even their most biting observations with humor and carefree bounce. The tension that underpins the record is felt most keenly on tracks like <b>“On Call,”</b> which channels hopeless devotion into an attempt at unassuming nonchalance over R&B-tinted grooves. Then there’s the deceptively upbeat <b>“Girl’s Girl,”</b> taking a philandering lover to task with a sarcastic smile and <b>“Wannabeher,”</b> a starry-eyed melange of infatuation and hero worship powered by supercharged guitar riffs. Refreshingly unambiguous statement piece <b>“Big Stick,”</b> meanwhile, pivots sharply from the interpersonal to face the realities of this touchpoint in history head-on with an ominously seductive breakdown of authoritarian control. Equal parts intimate and euphoric, <i>Dancing on the Wall</i> stops short of reinventing any wheels but as MUNA’s formula goes, it doesn’t get any more perfected than this.

via Apple Music