Compellingly raw and achingly overdriven, New Luna’s “Prunus” is a visceral outpouring of vulnerability and masculinity that hits us head-on and holds us fast – daring us to be open with our emotions, and open with ourselves.
Stream: “Prunus” – New Luna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2QRuEQH3Q&feature=youtu.be
Listening to New Luna’s “Prunus” is a heavy and immersive experience: It’s the kind of journey you go on, knowing you may never fully grasp the depth of the lyrics or their relationship with the surrounding music. Nevertheless, you dive into the song because it moves you, just like it surely moved the songwriter at the time of its inception. Compellingly raw and achingly overdriven, New Luna’s “Prunus” is a visceral outpouring of vulnerability and masculinity that hits us head-on and holds us fast – daring us to be open with our emotions, and open with ourselves.
Bitter lake, arms all so pale
It’s like a dream splinters me
I think about changing the view
I dream about thinking
that I could ever see that through
It’s like a peach butchered me
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering the Ché Deedigan-directed music video for “Prunus,” New Luna’s first single of 2020. The Mancunian band of Tommy Deedigan (vocals/guitar), Zack Bamber (guitar), Tom Owen (bass, backing vocals), and Nathan Gray (drums), New Luna roared into the world back in 2016. Their self-titled EP is a wash of self-aware sound – the second track is itself titled “Noise,” but of course there’s always been more to these young rockers than the sheer expression of emotion through loud sound.
As the years have progressed, New Luna have come into their own with a distinctly alternative sound. Labeled “post-punks” and “dream pop” (honestly what do these words even mean anymore?), their sound has remained unapologetically heavy and full of feeling over the past five years (listen to 2019’s standalone single “Swarms” or 2018’s “Red Music” for some stirring wake-up calls).
Sit down, say when, you never ever
Sit down, say when, we never win
Sit down, say when, things can only get better
Sit down, say when, say when
Nevertheless, something about “Prunus” feels special; like it’s the dawn of a new day for this Manchester band.
The song is feverish, overdriven, and melodic like so much of their nascent œuvre, but it’s also tighter – dwelling that much harder in moments of depth, only to seek an inescapably cathartic, fervent release built off the dichotomy between explosive guitars and empty(ish) space.
Little faith, honest thoughts grow stale
Lethargy swallows me
I think about changing the view,
I dream about thinking
that I could ever see that through
It’s like a peach butchered me
“Ché Deedigan headed the project and we developed the concept together after discussing some of the themes of the song and what we were trying to say etc,” Tommy Deedigan tells Atwood Magazine. “We wanted to take the themes from the lyrics and present them through flashes of scenes and individuals, talking about vulnerability and masculinity through a sort of osmosis instead of just showing a linear narrative. We shot the whole thing in a day at ours after borrowing a Super 8 camera. Everyone involved in the video is a local artist, musician, model or friend of ours that helped us out, so it’s pretty cool seeing it finished – we’re really grateful for the whole thing.”
Sit down, say when, you never ever
Sit down, say when, we never win
Sit down, say when, things can only get better
Sit down, say when, say when
Sit down, say when, you never ever
Sit down, say when, we never win
Sit down, say when, things can only get better
Sit down, say when, say when
Deedigan’s stark lyrics find him baring his soul against an enchanting on-again, off-again barrage of sound. Likewise, the song’s music video delivers a powerful visual of haircutting (exposure, vulnerability) and portraiture (intimacy). The Super 8 film casts tinges of nostalgia around a release that feels so full of growth, yet can’t seem to shake an invisible past.
Whether we view “Prunus” as some Samsonian expression of strength and loss, as the inner voice’s pathway to outer manifestation, or as something else entirely, one thing remains certain: New Luna have shaken us to our core. The four-piece are quite young, and their music is as full of life and hope as it is packed with pain, dread, a dash of self-loathing, a sense of wonderment, and above all, reflection: That intangible ingredient that showcases and inspires active and engaged thought. There’s no telling where New Luna will go from here, but we are fully on board for the ride.
In the meantime, stream “Prunus” exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
Real talk, I’m afraid of getting better
What if my head’s shot and I can only pretend?
Weighs like a breeze block as I crumble under pressure
Guess my head’s fucked til I find ways to pretend
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Stream: “Prunus” – New Luna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2QRuEQH3Q&feature=youtu.be
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