Philadelphia, USA-based rock trio Lunison are a band who have just come to my attention through the release of their debut EP See Me as a Friend.

By Graeme Smith

Lunison derived their name from a combination of the words “lunacy” and “unison”, and it seems a suitable dichotomy to describe what they are about. Their sound combines jangly indie rock a la Arctic Monkeys with the more laidback, classic rock of Dire Straits to create something that feels totally unique.

They released their first single in 2022 and have since then been pulling together this debut collection. A drip-feed of singles last year and this year, including Soul Exciter and Lost Are the Days, have teased it and now See Me as a Friend has arrived to announce Lunison to the world.

It kicks off with lead single Name 3 Songs and we are at once drawn in by its simmering, saucy start. Taking its time to build a groove, charismatic vocals then come in, delivering a call and response verse before arriving at a vibrant chorus that introduces elements of psychedelia. There’s such a wonderful mosaic of rock styles going on in it. I was excited for what was to come next.

And that was the punchy, cantering Soul Exciter. It gives way to Smile, Cruel World, a soulful, staccato effort. Lost Are the Days is introspective yet expansive before Velcro rounds things off with a bluesy groove and lyrics that plead for an escape. It’s the perfect end to this diverse five-track collection.

Rock is a difficult genre to bring something new to, but I think Lunison have managed to do just that with their debut EP. While being excitingly innovative, it remains accessible with pop-rock sensibilities. I’m intrigued about where Lunison are going to take their unique sound. I can’t wait to find out, and I hope you’ll feel the same.

See Me as a Friend is out now, available as a digital download via Lunison’s Bandcamp page. You can stream the EP below.