Returning to the pages of our magazine after their recent feature on September 13th, Rule of Two brings another layer of their evolving narrative with their latest single, Man of No Use.
Back then, Peeling pulled listeners into a deep dive of sonic and lyrical complexity, exploring the mind’s hidden corners through melancholic synthpop.
Now, the duo steps back into the limelight with a guitar-driven yet synth-heavy track that taps into the existential dread of losing one’s creative identity.
Man of No Use is a soundscape drenched in 80s nostalgia, yet it carries an emotional weight that feels immediate. The song flirts with synthwave and indie, all while weaving through big harmonies and somber undertones. The combination of Ronny Flissundet’s introspective lyrics and Kristian Liljan’s atmospheric production creates a tension that mirrors the uncertainty of existence itself.
As Flissundet reflects in the lyrics, the track unpacks the fear of becoming obsolete—both creatively and personally. The imagery of time slipping away, captured in the lines, “The silent fleeing hours on raven wings” and “Existence undressing,” speaks to the anxiety of not just artistic irrelevance, but the deeper fear of being unmoored from the things that define us.
The refrain, “A man out of time, out of place, a man of no use,” hits with a sense of defeat, yet there’s a raw honesty to it that keeps the listener from turning away.
Much like Peeling, the music video for Man of No Use continues Rule of Two’s knack for combining their audio creations with visual storytelling.
Directed and produced by Liljan, the video brings the song’s despair to life through haunting, atmospheric clips. For the first time, there’s a glimpse of the band’s live presence, a promise of what’s to come as they plan to bring their sound to the stage in 2025. While their live debut is still in the works, this video teases the kind of melancholic energy fans can expect when Rule of Two finally performs live.
As the third single from their upcoming EP set for release in January, Man of No Use underscores the duo’s ongoing exploration of identity, time, and the fragile balance between passion and self-doubt.
Rule of Two continues to prove that they’re unafraid of existential questions, pulling listeners into their ever-evolving narrative with their take on alternative indie pop and post punk that’s as introspective as it is sonically captivating.
