Artists You Should Know: Mise en Scene Flirt With "Burn Out" On New Single, New EP "Reality Bites" Out On Jun. 23

Indie-rock outfit Mise en Scene has just released their latest single from their forthcoming EP Reality Bites, sharing the punchy rollicker “Burn Out” alongside a music video. The duo at the center of the band’s earnest and noisy raucousness is Stefanie Blondal-Johnson (vocals/guitar) and Jodi Dunlop (vocals/drums). Since 2012, the year they released their debut album Desire’s Despair, they’ve continued to deliver electrifying anthems that play on their ability to evoke luminous 70’s rock like that of Blondie.

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Mise en Scene’s newest single offers up their signature driving rock amalgamations — from their punkish droning to its rip-roaring love of heady riffs. As always, the duo’s brash approach keeps their lyricism visceral and sharp. “Reality bites, and it hurts every time,” Blondal-Johnson howls along to Dunlop’s crashing hammer strokes.

There are few subjects that demand such a particular catharsis as losing oneself in a melodic cacophony of rock sonics as romantic distress. In the case of their latest song, Mise en Scene find themselves keeping the fuse of their own interest alight through sheer dwindling willpower. “‘Burn Out’ is about finding yourself in a garbage relationship,” Mise en Scene explained. “You can’t believe you are living as your lowest self with a person who drags you down.”

The music video for “Burn Out” captures all the mania espoused by the song’s strung-out lyrics with its hilariously odd visuals. Throughout the video, both members of Mise en Scene appear singing the words to the song. Except they rarely appear without some kind of filter melding their eyes and mouth onto an array of animals and food items — from a bunch of different dogs to some sunny-side-up eggs.

After you soak up the weirdness of the “Burn Out” music video be sure to check out the other singles shared from Reality Bites. There is its soberingly anthemic, tambourine shimmering title track “Reality Bites” and the lush riff-twanging “You Feel Good.” Or the scintillating “Nicer” that sounds like an early 00s throwback indie-rock classic. You’ll no doubt be hooked to the band’s energizing spirit by then but be forewarned that you’ve only scratched the surface. Their 2020 album Winnipeg, California is chock-full of alt-rock gems that you’ll be using to soundtrack all your pensive summer nights.