Desperation on the Dancefloor: MUNA’s Dancing On The Wall
- Claire Hookstra
- May 14
- 3 min read
Written by Claire Hookstra
Having made themselves known with their joyfully queer pop tracks, the alternative pop trio MUNA has turned to a grungier, more edgy, and heavier sound for their fourth studio album, Dancing On The Wall. The ultimate “cool girl” album, the group drops the bright synths, twinkling guitars, and carefree feel in favor of faster bass lines, electronic undertones, and lower octaves. The record is more angry, more political, more sultry, and somehow, at the same time, more danceable than anything the group has released before.
The album’s opener, “It Gets So Hot,” fully transports the listener into the world of Dancing On The Wall: feeling a sense of dread on the dancefloor of an overcrowded, dark nightclub. Each track feels like it could be heard through the blown-out speakers of El Cid (which gets a special shoutout in “On Call”), thoughts racing through your mind, wondering where your situationship is, what happened to your ex… etc., when you're supposed to be letting loose and having fun.
The production, performed by the band’s own Naomi McPherson, is louder and deeper than past projects by MUNA. “Why Do I Get A Good Feeling” gives an anxious, rapid feeling of constant synth and percussion behind lead singer Katie Gavin’s vocals. The track is reminiscent of the feeling of the bright club lights flashing in your eyes, making your way through the dance floor, searching for a familiar face of someone you know who you are (or aren’t) excited to see. Drawing inspiration from the work of Imogen Heap and Frou Frou, the track is a standout in the sound of the overall record. “Mary Jane,” on the other hand, takes on a distinctive 80s feel, with slowly syncopated synthesizers and a repetitive chorus. The revealing lyrics are hidden by the dance beat, as Gavin explains her struggles with the lousiness of a past lover she would’ve “changed her name” for.
Despite the dark hue over the album, there are still those quintessential pop tracks that MUNA knows how to master. “Eastside Girls” is upbeat, explaining the beauty and power of the girls in LA’s Eastside, where they will make it to where “you don’t even miss the ocean.” “Wannabeher” represents the obsession stage of a relationship or crush. “If I can’t be her, then I wanna be with her,” Gavin harmonizes through the bridge. “Girl’s Girl” shares the breezy production of MUNA as a distraction from the detrimental lyrics. Going through a list of names gossiping about a lover who gets around, Gavin sings “You’re a real girl’s girl / but the girl ain’t me / try to steal your love, but you give it for free.”
The most political track on the record, and the most outwardly political song by the trio, “Big Stick,” criticizes the current state of America’s leadership. The chaotic feeling track is edgy, with quick speed lyrics and repetitive beats. “I’ve got a big stick that I’m not afraid to use / So I can make you do anything that I want you to,” Gavin sings with urgency after commenting on the current political climate of the country.
“So What,” a sonic standout on the record, presents a slower electric beat. A distorted voice sings, “Lots of people / Love me / So what? / If you don’t / If you don’t / love me” throughout the song, lyrically expressing the frustration of only wanting love from a specific person who refuses to return it. “Buzzkiller,” the final track on the album, proves to be the most revealing and heartbreaking. It takes the listener out of the world of the dancefloor and back into real life, as the lyrics reveal that the narrator cannot see a future with their partner, no matter how much they love them. To make it even more gutwrenching, it’s revealed that the relationship won't make it because you're the problem. “Yeah, you think I’m so easy to love / Baby, please you’re just buzzed / I’m a buzzkiller.”
It’s an experimental sound MUNA has never done before, but Dancing On The Wall feels more like MUNA than it ever has before. The new edgy vibe just works. It’s as simple as that. The trio’s latest record will make you want to dance, cry on the dancefloor, find someone to love, and, unfortunately, it’ll probably make you want to text your ex.
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