Muse's last release was the single "Dig Down", which came out in May of 2017 - quite a large gap in-between singles that are supposed to be connected. As with that song, there are heavy electronic elements present in "Thought Contagion", the latest single in preparation for what will be Muse's eighth studio album (and which is currently nameless and has no set release date yet).
The song kicks things off with a high soaring synth line over some slightly distorted guitar, sounding like somewhat familiar territory for Muse. However, when the verse kicks in, it's a bit of a directional change - 808 drum beats and trap-influenced high-hats lead the way for Matt Bellamy's vocals in what still managed to feel stripped down, which is odd for a band who is known for their bigger than life sounds. The chorus comes in with a bit of the more signature sound for the band, with a chorus of voices singing as Bellamy sings (repeatedly) "Thought Contagion".
The problem I have with this song is that it doesn't feel like it does anything significant or go anywhere musically. Muse songs tend to have a bit of a wow factor - those boys are gifted in terms of crafting very unique sounds and tones. However, with this song, it feels like a moulding of their skills to current trends in music: electronic elements and trap sounds. While the former is something Muse has done in the past, and done very well, the later is not something that I think they needed to dabble in. Trap is a trend that I am very, very ready for it to be gone. It's shown up in everything, much like dubstep did before it 4 or 5 years ago (something that Muse also tapped into, but did in a really cool and unique way).
This song is, in all honesty, forgettable. Compared against their other music, even against the similarly electronic "Dig Down" (which I liked, for the record), it falls flat. The one part that feels like it could be leading somewhere, the bridge, gets you going until the guitar solo comes in to just play a more distorted version of the synth melody line. The song doesn't feel like it utilizes the talents of the bands, and the result is lackluster.
I hope that what else we will see from the band will be of more substance, and less playing into the popular trends for the sake of being current.
Rating: 2/5
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