Kansas City-native band Mensa Deathsquad released a new single last Monday. “Chin up, Eyes Wide Open” will be included in the electronic darkwave act’s upcoming record, You Will Hear Thunder, along with the previously released songs “Light” and “Riot of the Rebel Angels.”
Lead singer Brandon Phillips narrates that the inspiration for “Chin up, Eyes Wide Open” came thanks to a friend. The musician recalls, “a friend made a joke about me being exactly her ‘tall, thin, and emotionally unavailable’ type. To which I shot back, ‘babe, all I am is emotionally available. I am skin and emotions.’ Boom. There I was, hiding in plain sight. So ‘Chin Up, Eyes Wide Open’ is a song about my deciding to […] just fully embody ‘skin and emotions’ and to never mask that version of myself again. It’s a song about showing up for yourself in all your flawed, fucked up glory.”
Definitely, “Chin up, Eyes Wide Open” takes the listener through a journey of self-inspection and self-improvement. Phillips stated that “by the time I wrote this track, I was just this little emotional soap bubble, exploding in slow motion.”
With the help of Barb Morrison, his music mentor, Brandon poured his heart out into the track. The song perfectly captures the desire to be a better person and to be more present with everyone who surrounds you. The first song they wrote together was “Light,” and this single helped to shape the direction Brandon wanted to take. If Mensa Deathsquad’s three latest singles are any indication, their album will certainly be an enjoyable experience through and through. We can’t wait for what’s to come!
You can follow Mensa Deathsquad on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to stay up to date with their projects, and you can also support them on Bandcamp. Happy listening!
Featured Image: Instagram (@mensa_deathsquad)