Brooklyn-based Lora Mouna is among the legion of musicians making dreamy rock music, but her new single is not boilerplate zoomer shoegaze. It is, however, among the many new rock songs to flaunt a Deftones influence, albeit with plenty of personality to put her own stamp on the sound.
"The Difference" is not a Hoobastank cover nor a Wallflowers cover. It's a slow-build epic that benefits from the beauty of Mouna's bright, melodious voice, her ability to sound powerful and empathetic and overwhelmed all at once. When the wall of guitar distortion comes crunching it, the song lifts off into a world of grand, chaotic yearning. "What is the difference?" she repeats, sounding ever more distressed with each pass.
"The Difference" is Mouna's first single of 2026, and it makes me want to hear more. Watch her self-directed video below.
