This edition of LITM Pop Picks highlights vulnerability from artists like Adrienne Levay, The Boy Blue, OLI, and more!
1. Adrienne Levay – Do You Miss Me?
Do You Miss Me? is Adrienne Levay’s exploration of the space you create when you leave someone behind. “I like it when you say my name, I love to make you laugh / Tomorrow I’ll be leaving, pour another glass,” she sings, followed by “Do you miss me when I’m gone? Is it different from now on?” It’s introspective, intimate, and deeply vulnerable. Do You Miss Me? is brave in even asking the question, while also holding the fear of the answer not being a resounding “yes”; the song perfectly captures the feeling of putting walls up around yourself to avoid rejection.
2. The Boy Blue – Tiny Feet
Opening with a gentle guitar, Tiny Feet is the heartbreaking perspective of a father after a lost pregnancy. Distilling grief and lived experiences into music, it’s painfully raw; the rich vocals, sounding like they’re on the verge of breaking into tears, barely mask the sorrow under them. The simplicity of the lyrics (“We planned our years to watch you grow”, “I look to my left and I see the pain on the face of your mother”) adds a depth that lyrics drenched in metaphor and complexity could never achieve, and therein lies the beauty of the track. Tiny Feet strips bare the feeling of suffering like no other – give it a listen here.
3. OLI – I’ve Been Waiting
I’ve Been Waiting is an expansive track from OLI’s album, When It All Goes Quiet. With heavy synths and multilayered harmonies, the track glows with anticipation. OLI’s vocals float effortlessly over the rest of the arrangement, capturing an almost atmospheric thrill. Laden with carefree vulnerability (“Your place, taking it slow / I don’t know how to do this anymore / It’s been a while since I went on a date / but it takes too long if I leave it to fate”), OLI dances on the line between nonchalant and caring deeply. It’s mixed to sound atmospheric, surrounding you wholly, making its way into your body and shining there.
4. Glitch Armour – Je t’aime.corrupted
Je t’aime.corrupted immediately picks you up and sets you down in a video game, with Glitch Armour whisking you into a playful track with masked vulnerability. Packed with sonic Easter eggs, it creates a rich cohesion between its title, lyrics, and the wider album concept. It brims with delightful boops and beeps reminiscent of a 90s video game while remaining fresh and modern; beneath its bright synth layers, Glitch Armour dives into a deceptively upbeat theme of “404: love not found”. From the layering of the beats to a crystal clear voice, it’s mixed and mastered with precision, making it an irresistible earworm.
5. Sofie Elezaj – Write A Story
Write A Story instantly hits you with Sofie Elezaj’s powerful voice. The track sets itself apart with its simplicity – a simple piano and Elezaj’s voice dominate it confidently, knowing it doesn’t need much more to tell its story. “I’ll write a story, write it down, tell the world I’m okay,” she sings in the chorus, embodying resilience and picking yourself back up – a recurring theme in her music. The accompanying music video is equally minimal: Elezaj singing into a microphone in a room, underscoring her restraint in creating this track. She leaves us “Write a story, write it down, it’s the only way to change” lingering in the air, ready for you to contemplate.
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