Area Resident Returns With An Honest Single
That Blends Pop With Electronic and Rock Seamlessly
Area Resident returns with that unique brand and blend of electronic rock, hints of classic tonality riddled throughout its course, and a sense of forward-moving flow that just comes naturally as the song sort of swims around and swallows you up.
One of my favorite aspects about this track is that blend of rock and synthesized aesthetics.
The drum beat is fun, a little bit nineties, but I really like that approach, and you have these pianos that start the song off, giving you a base flow with some great progressions, and it's all accompanied by these slide guitars that add a whole different tone and texture to the song right from the start.
So, as the song opens up, you get this old-school kind of vibe that leans into a blend of indie pop, indie rock, classic rock, and a hint of contemporary lurking deep beneath the surface.
Throughout that, you have that sort of driving synthesizer that pushes the song forward and gives it a little bit of extra edge but really is there to help create layers which is what this song provides a lot of.
The single is very full-bodied and has amazing blends of those textures and tones coming at you from all angles, which just feels Lush and colorful.
I think part of that colorful feel is because there are two or three different melodies being played atop each other on a consistent basis. Right at the beginning, you have the pianos, slide guitars, and the synthesizer, all already pushing these great melodies on top of each other, and although the pianos are more of the rhythmic instrument here, they do give you even more of that flavorful tonality and deliver a great melodic aspect.
So, this is already a song that gives you a lot to chew on, which is completely fun.
The guitar becomes more prevalent as the song opens up a little bit and the vocals begin. As soon as that first verse hits, you hear vocals that are rock-based and make me think of old-school stuff like Frank Zappa, for example.
It's got this classic rock sort of attitude. It's cool. They also have a little bit of an echo sort of effect on them, which adds to the coolness factor and really gives the song a kind of polish.
During that first verse, a lot of the instruments sort of die down. It goes to the synth bassline and drum beat along with the vocals to really hone in on what's being said and help the song create that breathing feeling.
This is a very danceable song already. You will move your body to it because the groove of it is pretty deep-pocketed, and I enjoyed that factor as well, because it reminds you that this is a pop song overall. The whole thing is coated in that pop approach, and it's because Area Resident sort of thrives on being a little bit experimental and creating songs with the ability to branch out in different directions but still sound cohesive, while also holding tightly onto the pop sensibility aspect.
All of those aspects are part of what makes his music so addictive.
During the course, it opens up to guitar chords that sort of ring out; the piano gets a little bit louder at certain points too, and the whole thing makes you think of a Pixies song.
You definitely get the vibe of all these different influences in pop and rock music coming into play as the song unfolds.
Towards the last chunk of the song, there is a great little bridge where everything dies down quite a bit. It hones in on vocals and piano, and he goes on to sing "I love you, I'm gonna leave the Atlantic".
This becomes the hook, line, and sinker. It gives you more depth as to what the song holds in terms of its sentiment and heaviness. It feels almost like it came from some real place, although it could be completely fictional.
This is a great section of the song, and just after it, everything explodes. At the end of the song, you have the hook on repeat, and it just feels spirited, flavorful, packed with these gorgeous bright tones that shoot outward in all directions, and it feels good.
This is someone who knows how to arrange a song, but also knows how to bring it to that climactic ending that you hope for. Even without it, the song is super memorable, and you will have loads of it bouncing around in your head long after it has ended, but that closing section of the track is everything.
This is how I interpreted the song, anyway. Others may feel differently when listening to it, and it's part of the beauty of music, but for me I really loved how this whole thing played out. The way it exhales down to different calm moments. How it brings together those different influences in rock music, tones, and elements to really just build an atmosphere that you can step right into.
Being a fan of this project, this is most certainly, hands down, my favorite track that's been released thus far.
It showcases an expansive movement and how the songwriter builds his music, and how it's all done without walls built around it. Nothing is holding him back; he isn't afraid to be honest or experimental, but all the while, he still has a pop overtone that makes things catchy and welcoming.
Come check out "Atlantic" right now, and you'll see exactly what I mean.
Atlantic - Single by Area Resident | Spotify
