Written by Zaaim Hariz
Whether you are stuck in a long midnight drive or just staring at your walls, letting your conscience make the call about your roller-coaster love life, this extended play would be a perfect fit for that escapade. Midnight Fusic just released ’When Love Was Around,’ their first six-track EP following ‘Lovesick’ and ’Heart Of May’, their two successful singles over the past year. We got to hear more of the best (and worst?) of their first big project, and suffice to say, a lot of expectations were definitely assured. It is actually a fun EP to listen to but it doesn’t pack as much punches as they wanted to fill in their desired sound of indie rock.
First off, the structure which revolves around a relationship filled with moments of clarity and heartbreak was well-resonated throughout the EP with ‘Heart Of May.’ The second single of the project delivers the best hit amongst others, and subsequently serves as a benchmark for the band’s signature sound. The number one track on Hitz.fm MET10 managed to capture the energy that reflects both excitement of being with someone and desperation to turn it all back with upbeat instrumentals playing very well in the background.
The second down the list is ’Time Machine’. A perfect closing track that seeks heavily on the duality of keeping it together and letting go, reminiscing about “when our love was still around”. Although the lyrics could have had a bit more work put into it, the overall musicality presents itself in a very smooth manner. The main highlight of the track is the jangly guitar intro that carries such an ecstatic development for the track, progressing through as it carries the song along till the end.
It is not disappointing as it sounds, but ‘Flowers’ is the weakest as compared to its counterparts, simply because the instrumental felt a little out of place. Lyrics that speak an entirety of uncertainties and regrets, or oscillations of “will anyone understand? and “what’s going on in my head”, didn’t quite manage to pull through with the intended melody and ends up feeling dreary for the most part.
Ultimately, Midnight Fusic have finally made their long-awaited waves with the track ‘Heart of May’ and ‘Time Machine’ being the best of the EP (and perhaps the most memorable?) but they do still have a long way to go to establish themselves as a prominent band of indie rock and it is a good thing to consider. if they continue along these veins, I think the fans will look forward to what they can bring in the future as the fresh faces changing the game of Malaysia’s ever growing music scene.
Rating: 6.75/10
