In this edition of LITM Pop Picks, tracks oscillate from moving tributes to those lost to losing yourself to throws of escape and club-bangers– featuring Emily Dimes, Harris Hunter, Grampa Baby and more!
1. Emily Dimes - Make You Proud
‘Make You Proud’ is an emotionally charged, piano-led ballad that pays moving tribute to a lost loved one. Our narrator hopes their loved one is proud of them, hoping they can see how far they’ve come. There’s a brightness to the track, a mood that brings out the song’s almost nostalgic sentiment.
Strings and piano work in tandem to layer this emotion into the soundscape, allowing the track to swell into something that feels rousing and vulnerable. “...This is in your honour…” they sing, hoping that their loved ones watch over them. “...You’ll be cheering me on from the clouds…”.
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2. San Sebastian - Madness
‘Madness’ by San Sebastian is an energetic, groovy synth-pop banger that embraces this sense of escapism fully. The song takes on the headiness of a pulsating EDM track to immerse itself and its listener into a world of just movement and sound. Rhythm seems to take over, while the lyrics focus on amplifying this heady mood.
Unapologetic, heady escape, led by synths that move in waves that feel like an immersive, dynamic groove. “...Take me and just do what you do…that’s when madness comes to life…”. Immersive and constant, the song’s magnetic pull douses the listener in its electrifying groove.
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3. Harris Hunter - Sweet Revenge
‘Sweet Revenge’ by Harris Hunter is a quick-paced dark-pop track with a hard-hitting, wish-fulling concept. The soundscape is syncopated and fast-paced, while the lyrics embrace dark fantasies and escape. The rhythms are constantly on the move, falling down dark, fun rabbit holes while venting betrayal.
The song runs along an edge, while percussions and synths create a dark yet expansive ambience. All this culminates into a cathartic, moving refrain that feels equal parts dark and satisfying. The hard-hitting nature of the song doesn’t give you space to breathe, pulling the listener in at a breakneck pace. The song indulges in those dark fantasies borne from heartache.
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4. Artificial Incline - Sound of Thunder
‘Sound of Thunder’ by Artificial Incline is a sentimental, guitar-led track that pulls on grief and loss. A moving track with lyrics that pay tribute to those lost, the song ponders on sights and sensations linked only in memory. It reflects on the temporality of life, using all those sensations we take for granted while we live and love.
It acknowledges the way grief seems to manifest in waves, acknowledging that though dark feelings may pass, it’s ok to feel those feelings when they come up. “...Maybe one day I won’t break,...but today the storm is raging and I swear I hear your name….”.
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5. Grampa Baby - Mars - demo
‘Mars - demo’ by Grampa Baby is soaked in acoustic ambience, muffled tones and moods that feel fueled by some form of grief and the journey toward potential. Led by shuffling melodies and an electric guitar, the song’s unique, almost muffled sound feels almost melancholy.
Melodic rhythms ramp up these feelings, diving deep into feelings that feel once in a lifetime. “...We could be best and friends and lovers,..we could sleep to the sound(s) of eachother…”. The song holds a subtle groove that seems to celebrate love in all its (almost melancholic) potential.
Listen here:
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