Stuck in The Great Unknown

Favored Nations is a trio of guys who come from vastly different backgrounds, but are united by a shared love of making music. The Great Unknown is their debut LP, but they are no strangers to the music world. Each individual has prior experience in the industry. Morgan Phalen was the vocalist for Diamond Nights, DJ James Curd worked with DFA and Surahn Sidhu was the touring guitarist for Empire of The Sun. Morgan lives in Sweden but met James in Los Angeles and both James and Surahn are from Australia.  The guys also have their own individual projects going on, but they work together extremely well. It seems like Favored Nations are the versatile electronic trio that are going to continue shaking up the industry in the best ways possible.

The band received attention after being featured in the finale of the video game Grand Theft Auto V with the instant hit song, “The Set Up.” The track itself is very repetitive, but the beat is contagious and filled with intensity. The song is optimistic and cheerful, emotions that are felt by those that have just defeated a video game. For many listeners, this was a solid introduction to Favored Nations.

Favored Nations continue the trend on The Great Unknown with upbeat dance tracks as shown by their next single, “Always.”  This sound has a beat and feel that is similar to electronic duo Chromeo. The track also seems to fuse funk, pop, and dance together in a fairly smooth and natural manner. Phalen sings, “Is there any better way to waste time / than to put it in a jar and hold on?” The lyrics alone aren’t anything particularly special, but the feeling that he puts into it gives it the special touch it needs.

“I Can See You” is the latest single off of The Great Unknown. This one has more of a rock element to it, thanks to the explosive guitar riffs and solo from Sidhu. The layered structure created by Curd adds a disco-pop element to the track, which creates a light and wistful tone for the listeners.  This track is a perfect example for what the album as a whole consists of: synth-pop tracks that will never fail to provide happiness and worry free vibes for the audience.

Though it has a lot of similar sounds throughout the album, this is a great LP for those who enjoy upbeat songs that are made for dancing. While it would be nice to see the trio dig deeper and have darker, more complex songs, this is still a decent place to start. The fans of Favored Nations have come to expect the lighter tracks and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The Great Unknown leaves listeners with a positive impression of the group, but also a longing and desire for what might be next for them.