From the admission of guilt in opener ‘So Special’, to the yearning of closer, ‘Outro’, About U is an album that is unapologetically human. Lead singer and lyricist Katie Gavin ditches her inhibitions in favour of embracing all feelings; however good, bad or ugly.
Throughout the debut, her bold declarations and devastating candour come packaged in the most striking one-liners: “Oh I think that we both know, this is the love that we won’t get right,” she purrs in the despondent ‘Winterbreak’. Often it feels as if Gavin has written the songs as an unedited stream of consciousness, exchanging vulnerability for honesty. The deeply personal, yet widely universal lyrics are perhaps the masterstroke of the entire album, because when combined with the 80s-influenced choruses, it creates an overriding feeling of empowerment.
Queer dance floor anthem, ‘I Know A Place’, is a case in point. Despite the fact that the call-to-arms track preceded the album, it hasn’t tarnished at all in the wait for MUNA’s debut. In fact, the further their native land gallops into its political storm, the deeper ‘I Know A Place’ resonates. The effervescent ‘Loudspeaker’ is equally as liberating, challenging oppression with a glorious, radio-centric chorus.
Of course, not all credit goes to Gavin and her lyricism. The album, which is self-produced, is sonically immaculate. Swinging between the two main preferences of glacial electro-noir and euphoria-doused bangers, the band’s nob-twiddlers Naomi McPherson and Josette Maskin navigate the album’s highs and lows beautifully.
Though the album ebbs and flows in mood, the feeling of empowerment continually reigns supreme. In About U, MUNA have created a solace for the outcasts, and an antidote for the down-and-out. The album’s title couldn’t be more appropriate; it’s an album that includes and invites the listener. And in a world where exclusion and segregation is ever-present, About U couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
