In recent months, I’ve found myself revisiting the familiar sounds of indie rock bands I listened to in high school; Cage the Elephant, Passion Pit, Foster the People, and co. There’s a certain dreamy quality to the music of these bands that instantly fills me with nostalgia. MUNAN has expertly tapped into that soundworld on his new release, “Freak Like Me.”
Korean-Australian songwriter and producer Peter Lee, better known as MUNAN, intertwines that nostalgic 2010’s alternative rock sound with both 70’s soft rock and disco influences.
The track is an earworm straight out of the gates, with an immediately infectious bassline and bouncy synth melodies. These carry through as his vocals enter, playful, dynamic and dreamy.
The lyrics explore the state of situationship limbo, in which you’re waiting to be chosen by a lover or tossing and turning over whether or not to confess your feelings for them. MUNAN sings “I’ll be fine just passing through, / A summer night when I’ll tell you / That I’ve been dreaming of the day you choose / A freak like me,” over a chorus that sounds like a dream-state oasis full of layered harmonies, warm synth pads, reverb-laden drums and a wash of carefully constructed guitar melodies.
If you’re looking to relive the dramatic uncertainty of high school crushes through a reimagined and remastered version of the music you listened to around that time in your life, don’t miss “Freak Like Me” by MUNAN, streaming on all platforms now and check out the music video, directed by Changyu Park below:
