Release date: 11/10/19
Reviewed by Aleksandra Brzezicka
Alternative genre-benders since 2015, emerging from the depths of Corby, Northants, Luna Rosa, are back to keep us on our toes again.
While Luna Rosa’s previous releases (e.g. I In The Centre of Pride) have cathartically cleansed our minds from all idealistic illusions on the never-happening bright future and packed our private utopias into a cynicism-plated compact coffin, MK Ultra put a final nail to it.
It’s an affectionate anthem of our anxiety-driven generation on the account of falling out of love, society and grace to fall in the dark ditch of confusion. Like an impossible to take off, tailor-made, hell-suit, the track traps you in the inferno of your own insanity as the lyrics go ‘It’s too confined in my mind/my paranoia’s paranoid about my paranoia.’
Alluring with grungy/jazzy intro, MK Ultra goes deeper into the darkness with trippy rockabilly effects hidden under well-mixed layers, non-stopping drums’ beat and dramatic vocals to generate a kind of post-apocalyptic psychedelic punk. It doesn’t force on you with its heaviness but rather, femme fatale-like, nonchalantly invites you in for a one-night stand to share an emotional burden.
In spite of desperate efforts, ‘Hold me down/on holy ground,’ the disease has spread too far. MK Ultra is like an audio transcript of the last stage of death. A death of love, beliefs or a part of yourself. Even though it hurts, after hearing the last line ‘I’m falling/this is my last demise,’ you want to go through it all over again. And every time fall for Luna Rosa even more.
It’d be insane not to, especially that the track was called after a CIA program of illegal experiments on humans involving drugs and mind control.
MK Ultra, the second single of their upcoming EP, will be available on all major streaming platforms and Luna Rosa’s social media on October 11th.