Oh! The sweet sound of dream-pop mixed with elevator music. The moment I began getting excited about car rides was when I started listening to Men I Trust.  There’s something about Emmanuelle Prolux’s rugged, yet calming voice that sets an introspective mood — I love it. In all honestly, there isn’t one exact way to interpret any of the band’s songs, and most of them have very ambiguous meanings. Let’s take a closer look at their journey, at the various interpretations of their songs, and what exactly makes them the artists they are today.

Let’s take it back — like way back. It’s 2014, and producer Dragos Chiriac and bassist Jessy Caron come together to form a two-man group: Men I Trust. Their music was basically the epitome of everything electropop, with robotic drums and boisterous synthesizers — super funky. One of their very first albums, Men I Trust, is basically a bunch of really cool music you’d hear in a modern hotel lobby. You maybe wouldn’t listen to it on your free time unless you love electro music, but it calms you during the moments that feel like eternity while waiting for your room keys. This album doesn’t have a very intricate lyric component, but if you enjoy listening to artists like Grimes or Perfume Genius, definitely give this album a try.

Their following album in 2015, Headroom, is a really great mixture of their modern sound and their older, more electropop music. A lot of the songs on this album are instrumentals, and showcase the amazing talent Dragos and Jessy have for producing music. The emotion conveyed in their songs without lyrics is quite surprising, and they all have a very cool, raw sound to them. My favorite song on this album is “Morse Code,” closely  followed by “Break for Lovers.” This album has a very similar sound to Mac Miller’s album, The Divine Feminine, but definitely has its own cool, funky twist.

In 2016, Emmanuelle (Emma) Prolux joined Men I Trust, and the band’s vibe completely changed. Men I Trust was no longer just an electro group but began to produce indie, dream pop music. They released their first single together, “Humming Man,” which was quickly followed by one of their most popular songs, “Lauren.” This song is definitely one of my favorites and kickstarted the band’s popularity.

After releasing “Lauren,” Men I Trust put out some of their most popular singles. In 2017, the band made “Tailwhip,” a song about leaving a comfortable, country atmosphere and growing in a city-like place. This song can either be interpreted literally, as a change in everyday scenery, or as a change in mood or mentality — a shift from a calm state of mind to a busy, stressful one. This same year, the band released, “I hope to Be Around,” a song about hoping to find oneself with comfort and truth, becoming a being, “remote from time bounds,” and “without any end,” as the song mentions.

In 2018, Men I Trust released their most popular song to date, “Show Me How,” a song about a dream of a mystery love interest that may or may not exist. The song beautifully conveys how although for some reason this person does not know they are being thought of, the passion the singer feels towards them is enough to call love. Later in 2018, the band also released another single called, “Seven,” an ode to the freedom of summer nights and stories of adventure from these times. “Tailwhip” is featured in their 2019 album, Oncle Jazz, as well as another very famous single, “Numb,” a song about a sense of numbness and lethargy toward heartbreak — leaving you with a desolate, hollow feeling.

This year, Men I Trust released their latest single, “Lucky Sue,” a song about being grateful and counting one’s own blessings. The song goes on to mention that no matter what happens in life, you’re still here to experience it, and that’s all that matters. If there ever was a message needed today, it’s most definitely in this song.

I definitely recommend you give Men I Trust a listen and let me know your thoughts on their musical stylings. If you enjoy the indie pop/dream pop genre, this band is definitely for you.