Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
MAAN have been on my radar here and there for around a year. I kept seeing live videos of the band and was waiting for an official release of some sort, and finally one has arrived. ‘Come Around‘ is the band’s first EP after previously releasing just a studio live single, and if you’ve been wanting to hear music similar to Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio, MAAN fit the style perfectly.
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The five songs on the EP are like a sibling to RNRR’s dance rock style. It features a prominent drum beat pushing the tempo, and guitars that both craft and hone the overall melody of the songs. “Last” is a great example of this. It’s an upbeat song with bright and easy to follow melodies, and the core of the style is that it’s really clean. Even when the band uses distortion, it doesn’t overpower the song. “Empty Heart” is another fast-paced song that never lets up. From the first beat, the band hit a sprint that continues throughout the whole song.
I like the recording of the EP, as it’s mixed really well so that each instrument has its place and the vocals continue to be the core of each song. Take a listen to “Pray,” which is the longest song at 6:30, and you’ll get to hear the real brilliance of the band. It’s almost like a shoegaze song that goes through different crests in the arrangement.
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I’m glad that MAAN finally released an official EP, because while the live videos captured the energy, it was difficult to place each song. Anybody who likes RNNR’s style or is down with dance rock would love this EP.
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