On this edition of LITM Rock Picks, the tracks take on an intense, quick-paced tone that builds. Some songs explore the questions that play on the mind, while others reflect on the questionable ethos that forms the basis of the world we live in—featuring West Friends, Velvet Sun, Tantrum Zentrum and more!
1. West Friends - You’ll Hate It Here
‘You’ll hate It Here’ by West Friends is bright, energetic track that captures bittersweet reflections of life on the West Coast, at a kinetic quick-pace. Its lyrics make pointed observations, taking on that familiar sense of apathy that makes us ignore the issues laid out right in front of us.
“...Welcome, you’ll hate here…”, “...where the cost of living is a tragedy…”. The track’s high energy and poignant lyrics reflect on the way we’re able to turn a blind eye to the problems that lay right infront of us. “...Go complain somewhere else, because you’re ruining everything…”.
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2. Me & Munich - This room
‘This room’ by Me & Munich begins slower, before the percussion ramps up its tone and intensity. The guitars feel muffled, like they’re underwater while only ramps up as the intensity does. The narrators talk about a room that knows their experiences and houses their deepest reflections, packing in lyrics to the soundscape that feel like running thoughts.
The song seems to reflect on specific moments at a quick-paced rhythm, while the instrumentation builds with a slow sense of intensity and emotional charge. The vocals, like the guitar feel muffled, as thoughts pull at the listener’s attention at the pace of images flicking on a screen.
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3. Velvet Sun - Empire
‘Empire’ by Velvet Sun builds a slow, intense soundscape tells the story of an empire that succumbed to ruin because of temptation. The melodies seem to descend into a spiral of slow-burn chaos, while the soundscape evokes this dejected, grunge-like sensibility. It does this with a deep rhythms that spiral downward progressively.
“...All the dreams are broken…but the war’s lost because you’re everything to me…”. Here the narrator is settled on this choice, willing to forsake everything. “...Come one say you want me, I’ll be satisfied…”. The choice to sacrifice something established for passion that seems fleeting helps the song feel intriguing.
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4. Catherine Elms - Medusa
‘Medusa’ by Catherine Elms is a slow, dark reflection on want and wanting, with the narrator comparing herself to the mythical Medusa to make her point. There’s this sense in the melodies and lyrics that perception feels skewed. The narrator is convinced that she is a monster, a manipulator who sinks their claws into their target.
The build on the track feels intense, much like her slow realisation that she could be the monster. But a monster who inflicts pain unto herself. “...These claws are so deadly, I bury them in my heart…”. A dark realisation accented by the song’s instrumentation.
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5. Tantrum Zentrum - Lady Death
‘Lady Death- Live’ by Tantrum Zentrum builds on an energetic, quick-paced instrumentation with low vocals. Lyrics reflecting on conflict take on the soundscape, highlighting this unbearable push and pull that evokes a bit of discomfort.
The discomfort also comes from how the narrator compares a disagreement between two people with a large-scale current event. It highlights the scope of the conflict in a way, and the pain its causing both sides. To the narrator, the conflicts blown to epic proportions, with fights feeling like fronts in war, and blows feeling like being “...fell by your gun…”. A reflection that simultaneously feels hyperbolic and familiar.
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