Just prior to its official release, Swedish indie pop duo JUNG provided a full preview of their new single, "Nobody Knows," to mailing list subscribers in one of the most clever formats I've encountered. The announcement contained a link to an app that allowed you to listen to the track only if it detected you were dancing, along with instructions, "If you stop dancing, the music stops, so make sure you keep moving!" It was clear, at just a few seconds into the song, that this was going to get listeners on their feet, instructions aside.
JUNG is the musical project of siblings Henrik and Tom Ljungqvist, who have been working with music throughout their whole life. They stepped out as an official band in 2017 with the release of their debut single, "Vera." Following a string of impressive hit singles ("This Could Be the End of It", "Let Him Go", "Follow Your Heart") and debut album, Dreamers, the brothers Ljungqvist are setting their sights on their forthcoming second album. JUNG comments, "The past two years have been fantastic. We've released a ton of music, played live, performed on TV and so much more that we never dreamed of when we started JUNG."
"Nobody Knows" is the first single from the next chapter of JUNG. The track pairs an insanely catchy chorus with a driving, uplifting vibe that's sure to propel you out of your seat and set your body dancing in a feel-good, taking-life-in-stride way. With a lyrical theme that reminds us life is often uncertain and unpredictable. The best attitude might be one in which we find ourselves riding the waves like a cork on the water, rather than wasting energy on resisting the ebbs and flows of life.
"Nobody knows about the final destination
Nobody knows that we've been trying to find a way
Behind every closed door is just a thousand more
No matter where you go, don't worry 'bout the goal"
The single's accompanying music video complements the musical mantra of "Nobody Knows" by playing on the idea of stepping away from the weight of the world to gain a fresh perspective. Tom Ljungqvist, who directed the video, describes how the idea came about: "I wanted to see if Henrik could dance, so I told him that I had a great idea for a music video, and he fell for it. So here you go everyone, enjoy! We also wanted to create something happy and uplifting, and what's more uplifting than a spacey dance?"
While we await JUNG's second album, perhaps "Nobody Knows" might become your go-to musical mantra for living, or at least an incredibly upbeat and optimistic tune to lift your spirits and provide some perspective.
For more information about JUNG, follow them on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) and find their music on Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.