October Track Roundup

Members of our creative services department weigh in on the latest music releases from October 2023!

“Amusing” - Veeze
Written by Praagna Kashyap

One of my favorite albums of the year, Detroit rapper Veeze’s Ganger, has now gained a deluxe version featuring five new tracks. “Amusing,” the fifth and final of these additions, has everything that makes Ganger so good— Veeze’s lowkey, nonchalant delivery, and bars simultaneously clever and unserious. In what sounds like a mix between a mumble and yawn, he says, “he a throwback pic baller, ain’t been fresh since prime now / n**** you ain’t shit but square protection, you a OtterBox / find me a space helmet, I’m so fly bitch, I’m an astronaut.”  What could be construed as lethargy in Veeze’s distinct voice adds authenticity behind his words— he sounds so unbothered while effortlessly rapping about how he’s “so fly bitch” that you have no choice but to wholeheartedly agree. Besides, as he admits, “racks got me geeked, I can’t even sleep with both eyes,” so you can’t fault him for sounding a little tired in the studio. Though “Amusing” doesn’t particularly stand out against the other music Veeze has put out this year, its endlessly quotable lyrics guarantee longevity in the rap world (or at least in my brain). 

“bad decision” - JUMPTHEONE
Written by Brendan DiTullio

Boston-based supergroup JUMPTHEONE has broken onto the music scene with their debut single “bad decision.” This electronic R&B boy band is a collab between local legends (and GLR members) Talk Sick, hongjoin, doug suh, and Sumant. “bad decision” is about navigating relationships, dealing with distance, and, well, making bad decisions. Bars like “Focus / Can we just live in the moment / Where my heart go, girl you stole it” highlight the lovesick nature of the track and its reflective yet playful lyricism. Sumant comes in with a bouncing instrumental solo that rounds out the track and leaves the listener wanting more. The track is the first single off their new self-titled EP, set to release at the end of the month. I think it's safe to say that skipping out on JUMPTHEONE would be a bad decision. 

“Capable of love” - PinkPantheress
Written by Vienna Chang

PinkPantheress gives audiences a sneak peek at her highly anticipated debut album, Heaven Knows, with her latest release “Capable of love.” Combining elements from bedroom pop, hyper pop, and more, she chronicles her attachments to an online lover who isn’t as invested as her, becoming hyper-fixated through her imagined realities of the relationship.  She takes audiences through the different phases of this relationship, first depicting her lover’s dismissal of her— “Last time you had doubts / you said that you couldn’t make it”— then sharing the concerns and doubts of those around her- “It’s weird people still think it’s pretend”— to sharing her own fixations— “I feel psycho/I’m never givin’ up/ I just need to know if you’re capable of love.” PinkPantheress highlights the struggles of one-sided online relationships and how easy it is to get carried away in your own realities. As she sings about her hyper fixations and fantasies, “Capable of Love” is able to depict how far we go to feel loved by another, even if it’s only in our heads. 

“Funny” - Searows
Written by Emily Boyle

Searows, the musical persona of Alec Duckart, expertly blends hymn-like lamentations with the Northwest indie-folk of his hometown. Raised in Portland, OR, Duckart’s latest single “Funny” ties biblical nihilism with exhausted resolution. The track’s cover art encapsulates his use of religious symbolism: Searows clutches two small lambs, mirroring a Christ-like sacrificial lamb, emphasized by the lyric “I can't heal / What I hold on to.” The Christian imagery continues, as Searows asks, “Am I someone you believe in? / Can I trust what I can't see?” His layered voice glides through an introspective guitar, with this soft, acoustic feel serving to enhance moments of angst; Searows drones thoughtfully, “I'm still deciding if it's worth it,” before an abrupt tonal shift, hurling his words with worn contempt: “for all this stuff.” Ultimately, this track encapsulates the strained beauty of new beginnings. Soft woodwinds dance in the background, then melt into lyrics stolen from a confessional booth. Searows, being an entirely self-written and self-produced artist, maintains a career that excites me.

“I Don’t Feel Alive” - Chelsea Cutler
Written by Lana Clifford

Eager fans highly anticipated Chelsea Cutler’s third album Stellaria after waiting two years since her sophomore album dropped. Chelsea is a well-known force for her instantly-relatable lyrics and comforting voice. “I Don’t Feel Alive” breaks down the tender and yet direct emotions Chelsea is feeling about growing up. In life, we are made to feel and act like we know what the next step of our lives is, but in reality, it is unknown. Her lyrics in this song are like confessions to her listeners. “I'm getting undressed for my lover and praying she doesn't hate all my skin like I do”.  All of Chelsea’s challenges and her innermost thoughts spew out into this song that life is messy and imperfect. “The water goes downhill, and still I swim against the current with two arms that cannot fly”. I love the direction she takes to wrap up her song. She sings about healthy coping mechanisms in her last verse. “I’m turning off my fucking cell phone….” If this song doesn't scream coming of age I don't know what will!

“Lethal Woman” - Dove Cameron
Written by Noam Dor

Former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron has officially reinvented her public image, establishing herself as a mature and badass music artist who won’t be underestimated. Her latest song release, titled “Lethal Woman”, acts as the opening track for her upcoming debut studio album Alchemical. As the song’s title alludes to, Cameron sets a tone of temptation and rebellion for the rest of the album by infusing cryptic imagery of dark and sexual undertones with a haunting melody. Though unclear if the song is actually written about another woman or simply a mere reflection, Cameron’s lyrics of “She walks like a saint, floats like an angel / Sharp like a knife under the table” illustrate the persona of a woman who’s unapologetically herself and a force to be reckoned with, all attributes of Dove herself. 

“One of Your Girls” - Troye Sivan
Written by Sydney Wertz

Troye Sivan’s third single released off of his new album, Something to Give Each Other, is a sharp contrast to the first two singles, “Rush” and “Got Me Started”. While the aforementioned tracks are remarkably energetic and fast-paced, “One of Your Girls” takes a slower approach, using its synth melodies and dreamy vocals to conceal the melancholic meaning behind the song. Throughout the track, Troye sings about a lover who has never been with guys, highlighting the way he is willing to keep their relationship a secret and the lengths he’s willing to go to in order to stay with him. He sings, “Give me a call if you ever get desperate / I’ll be like one of your girls.” While the pop nature of the song creates a sense of adoration between Troye and his lover, the lyrics are haunting, presenting a situation that is all-too-familiar to many queer individuals.

“Purple Haze” - Joy Oladokun
Written by Kayli Harley

Joy Oladokun’s album Proof of Life painted a refreshingly optimistic vision for the future when it came out in April. Oladokun breaks away from the negative narratives that populate the media at every turn, examining instead the dichotomy between the fear these narratives perpetuate and the undying prospect of hope. Their recent release of the deluxe version of Proof of Life features new songs like “Purple Haze” that acknowledge the pressures of our changing world while creating space for healing and gratitude. Oladokun references a “purple haze” in the sky that represents the ominous negativity that blocks out hope, but she parts the darkness with lyrics like “But I don't care, 'cause you and I / Know that love is all we need to survive.” The bright, gentle notes of the guitar compliment Oladokun’s steady assurance that even in a hazy sky, there is room for light.

“Now That We Don’t Talk” - Taylor Swift
Written by Daniel Rateau

Yet another step forward into owning her masters, Taylor Swift released 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on October 27, 2023. Continuing her idea of adding previously unreleased songs “From the Vault” from these past eras, her version of 1989 brings us “Now That We Don’t Talk.” Produced by Jack Antonoff and having similar production styles to her most recent original body of work, Midnights, “Now That We Don’t Talk” brings a sense of synth dream-pop that slightly diverts away from the traditional pop styles executed by producer Max Martin on the rest 1989. In the song, Swift discusses the end of a relationship that has no longer even left a spot for a platonic friendship, as she and the previous lover are no longer on speaking terms. With many members of the “Swfitie” community alluding that the song could potentially be about one of her more famous ex-lovers, Harry Styles, “Now That We Don’t Talk” takes the listener on a journey of one getting over not just a former flame, but the what could have been if they had been able to remain friends. 

EDITED BY PRAAGNA KASHYAP