As with any enigmatic or mystery-clad artist, a release naturally causes intrigue and UK-based WEIRDO wholly epitomises that concept with every move he makes. First emerging a few years ago with some roughly cut demos that sent waves throughout the alternate pop sphere, his infrequent releases since have maintained the same alluring, chameleonic approach, yet in the past year, it’s naturally taken kinship with the darker side of his broad musical palette.
With his first release of 2021, a new chapter begins, one that looks to take those aforementioned waves and turn them into an unfurling tide, with the announcement of his debut LP/mixtape, “A MIXTAPE FOR HEARTBREAK.” Our first taste of that, “CAN’T WITHOUT YOU” slowly eases us into the lovesick atmosphere, with justly slow-burning aplomb.
As slow-burning as it may be, it doesn’t hold back from immediately applying a languishing sense of emotion with its heartstring-pulling lyricism and subtly exasperated delivery. A formidable bass sets the foundation for the rattling, filtered rhythm to pull in further textures, and as they synergistically evolve the track, the narrative passionately climbs with it.
As the dynamic pacing maintains, the track opens up and swallows you, enveloping you in the mesmerising, darkly tinted soundscape. Offering a brief respite from the sullenness as the textures dissolve into almost silence, you realise just how much it’s hooked you in, only to sucker punch you with a more impactful iteration as the instrumental comes further out of its filtered shadows, with the vocal emphatically following suit.
Just before the swaggeringly warped guitar solo carries us into the closing passage, we hear a distant acoustic iteration provide another dimension to the stirring performance, perfectly setting up the conclusion to this impressive first taste of what’s no doubt going to be a truly standout project.
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