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don’t mind the ones who stare

the ones who’d never dare

To choose one’s fate is not a grand gesture, but a small rebellion repeated daily. Most lives are narrowed by habit, by fear, by the clock, by the soft tyranny of what is expected. There remains in every person, however, a private country that no official map can name. Love, at its bravest, is a form of escape from the prison one has helped build. Against routine, doubt, and misfortune, the dreamer insists on movement, and movement is the first proof of freedom.

In We Could Be Fugitives, The Mystic Underground treats this escape as both a romance and a method. The song, the third single from the NYC alternative electronic pop band’s acclaimed album, has a sharper tempo and a more urgent sense of momentum, suited to the dance floor without surrendering its private drama. Its machinery moves cleanly, with drums and synths locked into a disciplined charge, while the vocal carries the anxious glamour of two people trying to outrun the life that has been assigned to them. The track channels the sound of Erasure, Human League, and Pet Shop Boys, with the political bend of Killing Joke and Chameleons.

The premise is simple enough to feel archetypal: lovers under watch, time running out, the city offering one more invitation before threat becomes fact. Yet the track is strongest when it keeps that romance close to panic. The lights are alluring because they may be the last ones seen freely. The fantasy of flight becomes a practical matter, a way of protecting tenderness from the dull bureaucracy of fear. The chorus gives the title its force, turning criminality into metaphor, as though passion itself has been made suspect by a world too rigid to accommodate it.

‘Fugitives is a sort of clarion call,” says Valette. “Taking ownership of one’s destiny and avoiding monotony and rigidity of daily life. It speaks to the dreamer in all of us, to take your lover by the hand and run away from your inhibitions, insecurities and whatever life throws at you.”

That sentiment might have gone soft in lesser hands, but Vladimir Valette and Benedetto Socci keep the song brisk, bright-edged, and slightly dangerous. The production and mix, handled by The Mystic Underground, favour clarity over excess: every element seems placed for forward motion, from the clean synth lines to the insistent rhythmic push. Jon Craig’s mastering at Courthouse Sound gives the track a polished surface with enough weight beneath it to keep the romance from floating away.

The accompanying video, combining animation with live performance footage filmed by Steven Celestin and videography by William Murray, extends the song’s sense of velocity. Its visual language mirrors the single’s central tension between fantasy and pursuit, public spectacle and private vow.

Watch “We Could Be Fugitives” below:

With remixes from the band and NYC experimental artist Maxx Klaxon, We Could Be Fugitives makes its case as a live staple by understanding that escape, in pop music, is rarely about distance. More often, it is about the courage to move.

Listen to We Could Be Fugitives below and order the single here.

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The post NYC Synthpop Duo The Mystic Underground Take Ownership of Their Destiny in Video for “We Could Be Fugitives” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

General Information

Personnel:
Daphne Ang – vocals
Andrea Papi – guitars, bass, drums

Release Date: June 12, 2026
Label: Independent

Setting the Scene

London-based duo The Chronicles of Manimal and Samara are back with their fourth studio album, MISANTROPI. This latest release arrives as the follow-up to their successful 2024 record, Origins. The new album introduces nine fresh tracks to the band’s growing discography.

First Impression

From the opening guitar melody, MISANTROPI pulls you into an otherworldly atmosphere. It is a visceral, unfiltered experiment that keeps you constantly on your toes, ensuring you never know what to expect next.

Similar Sounds

If you’re into any of these artists, this album should be on your radar.

MyrkurLaibachBones of Minerva

Visual Vibes

This has to be one of my favorite cover arts of all time. The cover shows a shoebill stork staring you down against a pitch-black background. That intense, unblinking glare is a perfect match for the heavy, unforgiving sound of the album.

Track on Repeat

“Lucky Ducker”

A powerful, and strongly-worded song that makes you go:” I needed that!”

 

In-depth Notes

Musical Shape 🎸

TCOMAS takes a highly unique approach to metal, making each song feel like an experiment. The instrumentation is driven by a great guitar sound. The music builds atmosphere and perfectly matches the shifting aggression of the lyrics on tracks like “Misantropia,” while songs like “Inside” introduce a specific sense of exploration by bringing in oriental drums and electronic elements. Because you can never expect what will come next musically, the album constantly keeps you on your toes.

Vocal Performance 🎤

The vocals on MISANTROPI are brilliant, featuring an excellent interchange between male and female deliveries at times, while hitting many levels throughout the record, jumping between clean, harsh, and even harsher. This impressive range stands out especially on songs like “Superstupidity” and “Girotondo,” perfectly matching the album’s unpredictable nature.

Production Quality 🎧

The production makes the album feel incredibly rich. The guitar sound is particularly magnetic, and the record shifts perfectly between tracks, ensuring the experience never feels monotonous.

Themes and Concepts 💭

The album explores the inherent contradictions of human nature and the chaotic divide between the self and the world. This thematic tension is mirrored in the music, where the erratic shifts in instrumentation and the unpredictable vocal range serve as a direct reflection of the inner conflict described in the lyrics.

Final Verdict

★★★★★★★★☆☆

An album that feels like music being reinvented, where metal meets literature.

Mood Meter

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Intensity

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Melancholy

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Darkness

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Emotional

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Serenity

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Energy

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Romance

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Joyfulness

Perfect For…

Nature – sitting in nature, with your thoughts
Night Walks – good for deep thinking
Working – when a co-worker comes to your desk to show you photos of his kids, turn the VOLUME UP.
Working on Arts – inspirational melodies

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The post Album Review | The Chronicles of Manimal and Samara – “MISANTROPI” first appeared on FemMetal – Goddesses of Metal.

With a shadowy visualizer to boot.

The post Cult Of Luna’s New Album “In The Shadow Of Your Shadow” Due In November, Title Track Now Streaming appeared first on Theprp.com.