Mike and Mandy – Caught The Bug (2023)
A pair of star-crossed lovers, or at least we’ll appeal to the Shakespearean sentiment of that phrase, Mike and Mandy met in a Shakespeare play; a meeting that led to road trips, chilled times and a wedding. Inspired by life in its totality, the pair cling to this passionate love of life in their eclectic, experimental and inventive melodies. Transcending various genres, the pair have taken us from electronic folk in ‘Are You Now’ to classic rock in ‘Ash Rain’ and now a pop-infused simmering with the new track ‘Caught The Bug’.
As I mentioned, Mike and Mandy are inspired by life in its totality and bring the core of human experiences to the fore with their music. ‘Caught The Bug’ explores difficult relationships, different personalities, and complex situations. Following the tale of a woman who is “lured into taking actions that she would never have considered”, ‘Caught The Bug’ taps its hat to the intoxication of the honeymoon period when people do things contrary to their personalities. ‘Caught The Bug’ showcases how this transformation is toxic and acts as a warning to all.
On a greater scale, the profound lyricism fleshes out how narcissistic individuals can manipulate populations by playing up to egos and “convincing us of our unique specialness and victimhood”. It’s a glaring insight into the power of authority figures who twirl people about like children based purely on well-timed actions and speeches. When speaking about ‘Caught The Bug’, Mike explains:
“I think the song’s lyrics speak for themselves, but the story the main character goes through; unwittingly drawn in by a romantic partner who was even more drawn in by conspiracy theories and idol worship feels prescient and foreboding…”
While the lyrical narrative is intricate, the melody delves into the movement of relationships with sonic ease. Inserting trip-hop darkness into the pop-inspired track coupled with hints of classical indulgence beneath, ‘Caught The Bug’ is chaotic but with sophisticated trims outlining the powerful sound. For me, this is potentially Mike and Mandy’s most interesting and heartfelt single as ‘Caught The Bug’ dips into the grimier side of life holding it high for all to see.
Find out more about Mike and Mandy on their official website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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