Total Brutal Revamps ‘80s Vibes To Reclaim Childhood Wonder

On November 19, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Emily Moore, released a little bit of positivity into the world with a new single from her recording project, Total Brutal. Entitled “Egypt,” the feel-good energy that the single offers is as prominent as it is immediate.

As soon as you hit ‘play’ on the track, you are instantly welcomed by a tight groove, a swaggering bass and an irresistibly dancey, lo-fi guitar line. Coming to a head with the introduction of Moore’s glossy, pop-perfection vocals, the tune serves as a brilliant combination between a classic Fleetwood Mac vibe and a carefree, summer vibe, a la indie-pop bands like Phoenix and Tame Impala (with a touch of Dua Lipa thrown in for good measure). For her part, Moore explained that the song was inspired by a desire to reclaim the wonder of childhood.

“‘Egypt’ started with thinking about all the incredible things we learn about the world when we’re young,” she told American Songwriter. “The Pyramids, Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, volcanoes, tornadoes, metamorphosis, bioluminescence… all kinds of unbelievable things. Eventually we just start accepting those outrageous things as fact and they don’t surprise us anymore. I wanted to write a song about getting back that curiosity.”

That drive to keep curiosity alive falls in line with the rest of Moore’s artistic identity. “I consider Total Brutal to be a challenge in standing up, being seen and knowing that it’s okay to be loud and take up space,” she said. 

Continuing, Moore mentioned that her best writing comes when she is able to find the confidence to lose herself in her craft. “Writing, for me, has always been trial and error,” she said. “I’ll play and sing a ton of different ideas in a row until one strikes me. I also really like writing melodies and lyrics in the car… I think it’s because I can turn the music up loud and really go for it without worrying what my neighbors are thinking! Plus, driving is meditative and it helps me relax. Being creative is hard a lot of times because it requires you to fail over and over again before succeeding. It is scary and vulnerable and I have to feel relaxed and comfortable enough to be gentle with myself through that process.”

Yet, as “Egypt” proves, getting ‘through that process’ is well worth the effort. Confident and infectious, the single is the culmination of Moore’s artistic ethos and her vision for a happier life.

“Man, I just want people to have fun,” she said. “I think it’s so important to channel that playful, kid energy through this time. Life is hard and the world is sad but I want to bring positivity to it. It’s so easy to only focus on a narrow band of emotions that we’re comfortable with… sadly, I think for a lot of us, those are negative emotions. I have to constantly remind myself to lighten up, play and let the world surprise me!”

Watch the visualizer for “Egypt” by Total Brutal below: