MS MR — the synthpop duo formed by Lizzy Plapinger (LPX) and Max Hershenow (alexmaax) in 2012 — are calling it quits. The New York-based duo announced today that they're retiring the project, along with sharing their final two songs together: a new single called "Saturn Return" and a cover of Harvey Danger's 1997 track, "Flagpole Sitta."
MS MR rose to prominence on the strength of their debut album, 2012's Secondhand Rapture, which they followed with How Does It Feel in 2015.
"When we realized we were coming up on the 10-year anniversary of our first album, Secondhand Rapture, we knew we wanted to do SOMETHING," Plapinger and Hershenow explained in a statement. "It felt like the right time to finally bring the band to a formal end while also celebrating and thanking our fans and each other for such an exciting and meaningful time in our lives. Looking back, it's clear that MS MR taught us to trust our instincts and vision, and to meet those impulses with play, curiosity, and dedication. That ethos has gone on to be a crucial blueprint for each of us in our own work and lives."
"This release is so bittersweet," they added on Twitter. "We hope this last musical offering gives you the joy + closure it's given us."
"Saturn Return" is a sweet, spacey ode to the planetary shift that happens every 27 to 29 years, returning to the sign and degree it was at when you were born and supposedly spinning you on a new cosmic course. The duo's B-side rendition of the track from Harvey Danger's debut album adds their signature gleam to the brandished alt-rock tune.
Watch the "Saturn Return" video below, where you can also hear MS MR's take on "Flagpole Sitta."
MS MR rose to prominence on the strength of their debut album, 2012's Secondhand Rapture, which they followed with How Does It Feel in 2015.
"When we realized we were coming up on the 10-year anniversary of our first album, Secondhand Rapture, we knew we wanted to do SOMETHING," Plapinger and Hershenow explained in a statement. "It felt like the right time to finally bring the band to a formal end while also celebrating and thanking our fans and each other for such an exciting and meaningful time in our lives. Looking back, it's clear that MS MR taught us to trust our instincts and vision, and to meet those impulses with play, curiosity, and dedication. That ethos has gone on to be a crucial blueprint for each of us in our own work and lives."
"This release is so bittersweet," they added on Twitter. "We hope this last musical offering gives you the joy + closure it's given us."
This release is so bittersweet… it's been deeply moving to see so many of you still here after so much time + left both of us in tears of gratitude many times over the last few weeks. THANK YOU. We hope this last musical offering gives you the joy + closure it's given us
— MS MR (@msmrsounds) September 6, 2023
"Saturn Return" is a sweet, spacey ode to the planetary shift that happens every 27 to 29 years, returning to the sign and degree it was at when you were born and supposedly spinning you on a new cosmic course. The duo's B-side rendition of the track from Harvey Danger's debut album adds their signature gleam to the brandished alt-rock tune.
Watch the "Saturn Return" video below, where you can also hear MS MR's take on "Flagpole Sitta."
