Love is a paradox — it gives as much as it takes, leaving behind the kind of scars you can’t help but trace over and over. For artists, that duality is an endless obsession, repurposed and renamed as inspiration. For Midnight Fusic, the Malaysian alt-rock band known for spinning heartbreak into anthems, it’s the chaos of midnight longing and the ghosts of almost-relationships that sculpt their sound. Their tracks are confessional, raw, and unapologetically vulnerable — like unsent texts at 3 AM that linger in your notes app, catching you off guard.
Take “Caramel Cream” — a bittersweet daydream of a girl who’s become a memory after every sip of coffee. Or “Under The Weather”, which clings to the ache of someone who’s already gone. Three years after their self-titled album, the band resurfaces with “Residue” — a track that captures the uncomfortable limbo that follows a breakup. As they prepare to release their upcoming EP, Modus Operandi, the band sits down with Men’s Folio to talk about their comeback and the evolution of their sound and selves.
Alright, first things first — if you had to sum up Modus Operandi in three words, what would they be?
Arif: Honest. Purposeful. Direct.
Solid choices. Now, let’s rewind a bit — what’s the story behind Modus Operandi? How did you land on that title?
Daus: After being inactive for a while, we wanted to show that, “Yeah, we’ve grown up a bit.” We’re not the same band we were a few years ago — there’s been some leveling up.
Arif: Thus, the title just made perfect sense. Modus Operandi is Latin for “method of operating” or “way of doing things,” and it reflects how we, as Midnight Fusic, are moving forward — creating music with more intention and confidence, without second-guessing ourselves. After years of writing and experimenting, we’ve finally reached a point where we fully trust our sound and direction.
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Was there a specific moment or turning point that made you all realize it was time to hit the studio for this particular project?
Adrian: It wasn’t like a dramatic movie moment or anything, but we reached a point where we knew our sound had matured enough to capture it honestly, without overthinking everything. The energy was there, and it just felt right to bring all of that into the studio and turn it into something real.
Compared to your self-titled album, did you approach this EP with a different mindset?
Adrian: Absolutely! If our self-titled album was like a diary — all raw emotions and what we thought of during the late-nights — this EP is more like an open letter we’re actually ready to send. We came into it with a lot more honesty and maturity.
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In terms of sound, lyrics, or creative direction — what shifted for the group?
Arif: We definitely leveled up on the confidence front. Lyrically, we dug a lot deeper — there’s more introspection. And sonically, we decided to spice things up with new elements.
“Residue” is leading the charge for Modus Operandi — what inspired the track, and why was it chosen as the first single?
Muaz: Honestly, we picked “Residue” because it just made sense. The song’s about those feelings that refuse to go away, no matter how much you try to move on — and we figured a lot of people could relate to that. It felt like the right way to kick off the EP, showing how we’ve grown without losing what makes our sound us. Plus, it’s one of those tracks that just sticks with you, so it felt like a no-brainer to drop it first.
Did working on this EP push the band out of a comfort zone in any way and how did they shape the final result?
Daus: Not so much a full-on leap out of our comfort zone, but more like stretching it. We didn’t want to reinvent what Midnight Fusic is, but we did want to roll it in a new direction, Without straying too far away from our core sound, we wanted to put out something that sounded more raw and straightforward, with larger sounds.
Everyone has favourites—do you each have a track from the EP that hits differently for you? What’s the story or connection behind it? Is that the track the band is most excited to perform live, or is there another one you each can’t wait to share with a crowd?
Arif: “Residue”. Lyrically, it’s probably the most honest I’ve ever been. The raw energy it brings out on stage is unreal.
Adrian: “One More Time” for sure. We’ve never revealed or even teased it to the fans, so there’s this thrill of unleashing something completely new.
Daus: “Upside Down”. We’ve only performed it once, so there’s still a lot of unexplored potential there. With better prep, I think it could really hit differently when played live. But yeah, I’m with Adrian on “One More Time” too — the mystery around it just adds to the excitement.
Muaz: For me, it’s got to be upside down. The memories of us crammed into my little studio, figuring it out — that’s something special. We’ve only played it live once, and I’m itching to do it again. But yeah, “One More Time” is the wild card. We’ve planned to play it so many times and never did, so I feel like the fans are gonna go crazy when they finally hear it.
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When all’s said and done, what do you hope Modus Operandi leaves behind? What’s the one thing you’d love your fans to take away after listening to it?
Daus: We hope Modus Operandi leaves a sense of connection and introspection. If our fans take away anything, it’s that they felt seen and heard through our music — that our journey resonates with their own.
If you guys were challenged to step into a completely different genre — like metal, jazz, or something totally unexpected — which sound would the band collectively like to explore?
Adrian: Smooth R&B.
Muaz: Or baroque rock — dramatic but kind of emo.
Daus: Kinda been vibing with writing in Malay too lately. Who knows, maybe a Malay R&B-ballad hybrid is next.
Arif: So… throw everything and make it bilingual?
Adrian: Maybe.
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