This edition of LITM Pop Picks brings you a platter of range, with synthpop tracks that are here to erase any gloom in your heart and songs that are perfectly capable of making you aware of a gloom you never suppressed. The list features artists Nathaniel Earl, Avaraj, RYDE, and more.
Nathaniel Earl - i’m alone
Dreamy synths and equally dreamy vocals opening the track, ‘i’m alone’ by Nathaniel Earl captures the aftermath of someone leaving you. The use of pulse like beats, and high-pitched echoey, breathy vocals create an immersive soundscape that pulls you in and drowns you. Lyrically, the song captures the echoey space someone leaves behind when they exit your life, and leaves you having to grapple with the emptiness of it all. While it captures the dark side of that experience, the song also exudes the hope and acceptance that comes on the other side of that tunnel. An universally relatable song brimming with honesty and vulnerability, this song is a must listen.
Avaraj - Romance
Starting off with soft and spaced out synths, ‘Romance’ by Avaraj captures the ideas and hopes we have with love and the stark opposite version of that which becomes our reality. The instrumentation consists of synths of course, but beside that it also has a solid bass line, beats that sound like piano notes. The song, thereby, has a very lush, inviting texture that flows smoothly. The lyrics capture the battle of an idealised love and the reality of it which seems empty and draining. The themes are something that almost all of us experience in our first love, which more often than not turns out to be nothing like we hoped it would be.
RYDE - Winter
Melancholy drenched acoustic guitars starting off the track, ‘Winter’ by RYDE perfectly captures the atmosphere that its title alludes to. While it captures the season which can feel sombre and grey sometimes, the track actually deals with the experience of love having reached its winter season. The drums in the song are muffled and sound distant, which is a very interesting choice to make, because it can allude to the loss of energy and activity in the love itself. The beautiful interplay of the guitars and expansive, immersive sounding long synth notes bring out a very deserted, cold feeling to the song. All in all, the song has managed to do exactly what it had set out to do, and has managed to do it in a manner that will have you coming back to it.
Julemo - The Answer
With pop beats that are perfectly reminiscent of the 2010s pop scene, ‘The Answer’ by Julemo is as groovy as it is emotive. The song blends pop and R&B elements to create a sound that is quite the groove but not in a way that diminishes the emotional aspect of the song. Julemo’s vocals carry the weight of the themes of the song. Lyrically, the song captures the emptiness that one feels which makes them think that if they had someone by their side they wouldn’t feel that way anymore. But the truth is that won’t really be helpful if you first don’t find the answer within yourself.
Jasmith - Festive Night
Starting off in a way that is telling of the fireworks-like energy that will come later, ‘Festive Night’ by Jasmith is here to lift the gloom from your spirits. The song quite literally captures the feeling of festive times, when everything is sparkly and vibrant all around, where people are full of joy and celebration. The song is upbeat, and gradually builds in intensity as it proceeds towards the firework-like energy. The song asks you to leave behind your worries, and also put your phone away, and be one with the celebration and festivities, and allow your soul to take in the brightness all around.
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