Image via the artist.
By DCist Contributor Dalton Vogler
With an album cover splashed in tie-dye psychedelia and a rather peculiar genre tag, you’d be forgiven for listening to D.C.’s Misun (pronounced “me-sun”) and defining them as another sun-soaked indie-pop outfit. And to be fair, their debut LP Superstitions does contain a handful of tracks that pay homage to their past label of “aquawave”; summery, nostalgia-inspired rock songs that conjure images of heat-filled days. “It’s where we came from,” says Nacey, Misun’s producer and lead guitarist. “We wanted to put out this particular collection of songs as an album because it represented a period of time for us.”
The producer is referring to the band’s formation in 2010, when lead singer and the band’s namesake Misun Wojcik first met Nacey (AKA Andrew Wallace) and bassist William DeVon. Coincidentally (or as fate would have it), all three happened to be working at the same D.C. restaurant when they realized their shared interest in creating music. The trio began recording songs in an apartment off U Street that they would eventually decide to call, “aquawave.”
Though the name has stuck with them ever since, Misun continue to prove that they aren’t beholden to just one sound. They’ve challenged themselves on this latest release, growing Misun from a collection of surf-rock tracks (The Sea EP) into a vast, experimental electro-pop group. “We’re all over the place,” acknowledges Nacey.“I think our differences have set a tone of ‘anything goes,’ which makes things exciting. We’re constantly trying things for the first time.”
Four years later and with the addition of drummer Jon Jester, the band is finally compiling their work into one cohesive album. People talk a lot about how artists push the boundaries of their respective genres, but rarely do you find a group that can so easily juggle this many distinct, contrasting influences. “I’m so used to calling what we do ‘pop’ because it’s catchy,” Nacey explains, “but I’ve learned that people interpret that pretty differently depending on who they are.”
One minute you’re listening to “Sun Made,” a heavy Euro-house inspired track that bleeds synths, and the next, “Jamie,” is an immediate tonal shift plucked straight out of a western. Or take “Promise Me,” a spacey, cascading ballad that precedes the Moombahton of “Hills and Trails.” An album constructed off seemingly loose singles like this shouldn’t work, but the songs complement each other thanks to Misun’s leading vocals, which serve as the perfect anchor while the band dives into uncharted territory.
“Come on and give me one more happy moment” is the first line you’ll hear Misun wail during “Eli, Eli”, the album’s first cut. Despite the upbeat guitar riffs and ’60s appropriation that punctuate the LP’s opening, Misun’s words often speak volumes more than the sounds. The band’s instrumentation may give off an energetic vibe, but Misun’s lyrics are the dose of reality, addressing themes of self-doubt, depression, and vulnerability.
It truly is a testament to their songwriting process. “The production usually sets the stage for where Misun will go lyrically and melodically,” explains Nacey. “She likes to write organically by hearing the instrumentation as a whole, and then seeing where it takes her.” This fluid, organic style allows the band to encapsulate how they’re feeling at the given moment, which explains their range. More importantly, it gives both the band and Misun herself the freedom to collaborate independently without having to force lyrics into arrangements or vice-versa.
In Superstitions, we’re seeing an evolution of the band unfold. Their earlier lo-fi work weaves in and out across the album, while Misun takes us on a journey across wildly innovative electronic projects. It encapsulates what this band is all about: living in the moment, feeding off that emotion and pursuing artistic impulses.
For now, the band has semi-relocated to Los Angeles, where they plan to start laying out the groundwork for a bigger tour in 2015. “The change of scenery is nice, but we all miss D.C. I think the ultimate goal is to be pretty mobile between both coasts,” Nacey explains, “We’re a D.C. band.” Regardless of where they end up, Superstitions is a wonderfully fresh debut and proof that Misun is headed in the right direction.
