When they released their stunning debut album 'I Love You Say It Back' last month, we quite simply couldn't get enough of it. Filled with bold and interesting ideas that spread a multitude of genres, US outfit Mungbean proved that they were set for great things in the months to come.
And with so much diversity on this new record, we thought we'd find out what had inspired their sound and asked them to pick five songs that best influenced their direction. This is what they said...
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'Your Best American Girl' - Mitski
Emma: "The dynamics in this song are explosive. It starts soft and sweet like a lullaby, but then you get this wall of fuzzed out sound and distorted vocals in the chorus. It's so full of emotion and it gives me goosebumps every time."
'Atomic Punk' - Van Halen
Sean: "I wanted a lot of the guitar work to shred but maintain a dreamy “shoegaze” sound. I've always been inspired by how Kevin Shields plays in My Bloody Valentine, so I tried to mash up this kind of 80s Shredder with 90s Shoegaze."
'You’re Not Good Enough' - Blood Orange
Colin: "This song blurs the line between catchy and intricate pop music. It's so tasteful that you can play it 600 times and you’re still not sick of it. It's equal parts melody and groove."
'Echo Arms' - Mr Twin Sister
Ian: "This song is the definition of a "four on the floor" dance track. Mr Twin Sister always comes through with a sexy bass line and an undeniable groove. It's got such a distinct vibe, you can't help but move to it."
'Dear Friend' - Jonathan Wilson
Max: "This song finds a perfect balance between heavy, driving psych rock and fluid, nearly free form call-and-response amongst the band. The conversation between the rhythm and the lead throughout is really special."
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Mungbean's debut album 'I Love You Say It Back' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it below alongside their favourite song choices.