Welcome to “Cut Through the Noise,” an entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering new music releases. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role of writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.
“Delulu” — BANKS ★☆☆☆☆
Zip, zap, zop, “Delulu” was most definitely not on top. American singer-songwriter BANKS released a new single titled “Delulu” and I may be adding it to my “never-play-again” playlist. The most alarming concept in this piece is the message. There is no flow in the lyricism of this two-and-a-half-minute piece, going from themes of love to a bad therapy experience to toxic relationships in a way that was far from understandable as a listener. While music can be a way of expression for many artists, how the songwriting behind this piece was expressed had me thoroughly confused. Additionally, the beat in this piece sounds like that of a fair usage sound from SoundCloud. There is no variation in the beat of the piece aside from the split-second outro of a surprise guitar solo to perhaps add some spice to a rather instrumentally flat piece. Had there been some contrast in the instrumental portions of “Delulu,” the songwriting might have come to life in a way that was more receptive to listeners. While the intention may have been to produce a listenable piece, unfortunately, the result does not meet that standard.
“Replay” — Cynthia Erivo ★★★☆☆
British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo shocks the people with her pipes once again—not as Elphaba, but with a personal single titled “Replay,” marking her first single since 2021. Firstly, how did Erivo even have time to produce music during this Wicked time in her life? While listening, I couldn’t help but wonder about the behind-the-scenes of this piece as America’s typical Erivo singing sight is on the stage. Hearing her life story-based song come to life was inspiring as it helped me to see the artist in a different light. With that, the vibe of “Replay” reminds me of a song that might play in the background of a movie during an impactful scene due to the familiarity of the beat and the relatability of the lyrics. The versatility of the lyrics makes this piece applicable to an array of humans as they speak to self-improvement, “I’m the best overachiever, there’s not anyone like me and you think that was a good thing till you’re told that’s not healthy” and the effects of hard work, “you spend every waking hour working hard to write your will patiently waiting for validation till you’re empty and unfulfilled.” The lyrics grounded the piece in that the song tackles topics relating to the artist, but touching home to listeners, which is an important and likable quality in a piece of music. That being said, not all five stars are to be given as this piece felt a bit repetitive at times. While the messaging is important, so is the contrast in the chorus and the bridge of a song.
“Could You Love Me?” — elijah woods ★★★☆☆
Crafted by multi-faceted and underground Canadian music producer elijah woods, “Could You Love Me?” is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted song that I will be listening to on repeat. Right off the bat, woods delves into themes of vulnerability and longing. As a listener, I could feel the ideas of this piece through the instrumentals and vocals at every moment while listening. If he wasn’t singing, there was clear storytelling through the instruments, and when he was singing, the instrumentals didn’t take over the storytelling but rather enhanced it. woods’ emotive vocals, paired with poignant lyrics, created a sense of connection between the artist and the listener due to the raw emotion behind each word. The melody is both soothing and riveting, perfectly complimenting the lyrical content when common, yet difficult, intimate questions are asked, such as “could you love me like you lovе yourself?… Is it all a joke? Am I nothing to you?” After hearing “Could You Love Me?” I feel connected to the artist’s music style in a way that makes me want to keep listening. While this piece is thought-provoking, I also felt a tish pulled back to my Disney Channel watch days due to the woods’ autotune at times.
