On their new single “Headlines,” the London-based trio Lyena perform energetic punk ferocity with the just-barely-orchestrated feel of caustically anxious post-punk. The energetic song feels powerfully constructed to bring the elements together for a memorably and thrillingly confrontational jaunt, and as the song proceeds, the band feel like they get progressively more unwound.
The melodies which open and close the song honestly feel quite memorably catchy. There’s a sort of approaching chaotic, unhinged feel to the punkish angst; the riffs rapidly progress through ups and downs, although there’s a neatly orchestrated balance in the musical angst’s relationship to the softer side of the spectrum.
The band’s mix includes volleys of piercing drum hits alongside swaggering dollops of groove, which together crescendo quite poignantly around their new song’s two minute mark. As the song whips along towards the conclusion, the streaks of heavy groove and melody feel like they’re sporting a somewhat nihilistic flippancy, which feels perfectly suited to the lyrical tale of someone who doesn’t read the stories they see, because “headlines will do,” they think. In line with the nefarious potential of that mindset, which could obviously lead to completely missing crucial bits of information, the latest song from Lyena features a cord of an especially hard-hitting edge running through the mix.
Neither the music nor the themes feel in-your-face, so to speak; instead, it’s a bit more experiential, and Lyena sound like they’ve truly captured a portrait of the volatility that they confront with their music.
“Headlines” ultimately proves volatile, catchy, thought-provoking, and more — and through all of these elements, the track maintains a good time.
Check out the song below! Stay tuned for more from the band.
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