the bassline is infectious. the hook is about as catchy as it gets. iām frankly tired of us not recognizing dua lipa as the perfect human being she is.
Sep 5, 2024
Related Recs
Been running this one back lately. I love her voice. I remember hearing it back in 15 and thinking āman there is no way this woman wonāt be a starā. Good ass pop music man. Gotta love it.
Dec 31, 2024
ONE OF THE BEST POP SONGS EVER 100% AND INCREDIBLY ADDICTIVE. I'VE LISTENED TO THIS SONG OVER 1000 TIMES AND I NEVER EVEN LISTEN TO POP MUSIC.
May 23, 2024
Swim or Sink
Like this post if you're also fed up with Billie Eilish. Jokes aside, her new album is one of the two most powerful pop records of the year so far. I just got around to her release and yesterday I listened to Dua Lipa's new album, so I'm making up for it twice over: I realized what I like about Billie's album compared to "Radical Optimism."
"HIT ME HARD AND SOFT" is a sophisticated alt-pop album that doesnāt even try to sound like a hit. I like that Billie intentionally didnāt turn her album into an event: near-zero promo without singles made me forget the album was even about to drop. āI donāt like singles. This album is like a family: I donāt want to leave any of the kids alone.ā So, I dived into this release with zero expectationsāand thatās probably the coolest strategy for promoting such music.
Dua Lipa's promo wasnāt the most outstanding, but it was big enough. But Iām more concerned with one specific part of it: Dua claimed in an interview that she was inspired by āBritish rave culture, Primal Scream, Massive Attack, Britpop, and Gorillaz.ā She even invited Kevin Parker and Danny L Harle to make the sound richer and more interesting. But when the album came out, I had only one question: where is all that? āRadical Optimismā turned out to be a very timid release, where I hear neither Trickyās nor Damon Albarnās approach. And Kevin Parkerās name in the credits just makes you snortāitās one of those cases where even a talented producer couldnāt save music heās not used to working with.
Billie and Finneas say they were inspired by Tyler, Lana, and Vince Staples' music. But listening to the album, I understand what they really meanāthe desire to ignore standards and do something of their own. This approach is closer to me: it sounds more honest and fully unfolds in the music itself. Finneas skillfully mixes pop, folk, and electronics, trying to make not a hit, but just cool music. Listen to the phenomenal transition in āLāamour De Ma Vieāāthis is the level of production weāre talking about. Billie overcomes herself and starts singing at full voice, moving away from the image of a āwhispering languid girl.ā The lyrics tell an honest and sometimes touching story of love and self-discovery. Everything works like clockwork hereāit seems like the same calculated pop approach as Dua Lipa's, but with the right passion and enjoyment.
Now letās look at the situation from the side of numbers, sales, and all that nonsense. Lipa obviously aimed for the chartsābut magically didnāt end up in them. Because even the mass listener can feel when the music doesnāt hit. I donāt like referring to the crowdās opinion, but here I completely agree with them: āRadical Optimismā turned out to be just a dull addition to quite powerful singles. Billieās album came out without any singles at all.
Will Billie and Finneasās creation become a hit? Probably not. But it wasnāt meant to beāitās more about talented music that deserves praise. An album not for the masses, but for critics, if you like.
Now fans are actively spreading the theory that Billieās album is actually a double one: firstly, the leaked merch hints at this, and secondlyāthe final line āBut when can I hear the next one?ā makes you want to believe itābecause Iād be happy to get another portion of Finneas's refined production.
Dua is calmly splashing in the water under the sun, while Billie Eilish is sinking, trying to overcome her main childhood fear (yes, the cover was shot live). Iām not a hater of Lipa, rather the oppositeābut I think stories like this should teach something. You canāt update your sound just by inviting Tame Impala, just as you canāt sell an album to the masses if thereās nothing to listen to besides the singles. If youāre inspired by Primal Scream, youāll have to play by different rules. Because while Dua is resting, Billie and Finneas are setting their own rules for the entire industry. And maybe not immediately, but everyone will appreciate it.
Jun 21, 2024
Top Recs from @supremebrick420
recently visited the homie in DC and he cheffed me up a cold cut up honeycrisp apple from the fridge after a lowkey nonchalant runā¦ man why have i been out here buying expensive ahh berries that go bad in 3 days when APPLES EXIST??? mfs are HARD š£ļøš«¶š³š
Oct 15, 2024
youāre telling me youāre sad when you can just go look at pictures of sea slugs online??? come onnnn
Oct 1, 2024
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free will is realizing you can just go get a thai iced tea whenever you feel like it
Oct 25, 2024