Boy In Space offers closure and clarity on ‘Copium’

Recommended Tracks: “Atom Bomb,” “The Last Time,” “Mayflowers”
Artists You Might Like: Alec Benjamin, Nico Collins, Conan Gray

Everyone loves a good love story, but when you think about it, heartbreak stories are just as potent. When you listen to music, it’s nearly impossible to come across a song on the radio that does not deal with a juicy relationship, whether it’s two people falling for each other or one person giving the other person hell after a breakup. Both are timeless themes that always make for great songs or albums, as everyone has gone through their own versions of love and loss. This year, Boy In Space has shared with us his experiences with the two, releasing singles that touch on the hold both have had on him. As he was going through it, music helped him heal, so the Swedish pop artist is now packaging these songs on Copium, an EP that offers closure and clarity for anyone looking to cope with love, heartbreak, or other daunting situations.

The EP opens with “Atom Bomb,” a bittersweet offering that compares the effects of love to that of an atom bomb explosion. As we enjoy the comforting guitar strums and light pop melodies and beats, Boy In Space throws a bit of pain our way through the lyrics. He sings, “21 when I told her / Love’s like an atom bomb / Pressing down on your shoulders / Put my thoughts in a folder / Bury them till I’m dead and gone / Don’t’ read them out, they’re way too dumb,” almost embarrassed by his feelings. He tries to get over it all, as expressed in lines like, “Guess I love you and I hate it / If you loved me, then why would you leave? I’m stuck all I see is you.” We can deeply feel his infatuation with this person, along with the devastation this person causes him.

On the next two tracks, “Finally Fine Without You” and “The Last Time,” Boy In Space gets lost in his post-relationship feels. On the former, he attempts to find closure. Accompanied by vibrant beats and glitchy technical effects, he sings, “I was going insane / You were going to college / Whatever it takes / That was the promise,” reliving the life that he was supposed to have with this person. In the end, he realizes, “I’m running out of things I could say / And I think about you every day / But the memories fade / I’m finally fine without you,” knowing that it is time to move on. With “The Last Time,” Boy In Space tries to accept that the chapter on his relationship is about to close. He wishes the situation was different, but sings, “So say it / Just like you said it on the balcony / You’ve got a tendency to laugh it off / Trying to hide the insecurities,” ready to bring things to fruition. Although lines like, “Talking to me / Talking to you / Until my lips are blue / Fall out of love / Fall out of you,” are more on the fatal side, the music is not as harsh, the synthy 80s elements leaving a bright impression.

The final two songs that close out Copium continue to grapple with the idea of acceptance. Following suit of “Finally Fine Without You” and “The Last Time,” “Mayflowers” addresses a relationship that ended too quickly. The summery verses and heartfelt vocals bring out the hopeful undertones of the track, where Boy In Space wishes that this other person will still hold onto the memories of the relationship. He sings, “Close your eyes / Am I still somewhere in your mind?” Meanwhile, he “will spend forever trying to forget her,” showing that it is almost too easy for him to preserve the memories. The essence of the previous four songs is captured on “Somewhere Far Away (work in progress),” which is equal parts wistful, vulnerable, and honest. Lyrically, we get into a short-lived romance, and how even the smallest moments can make a lasting impact. To the sweeping sounds of piano and acoustic guitar, Boy In Space sings, “Somewhere far away / You’re breaking every part of me,” unable to hold it together. Still, we never feel as if he is ruined by this, which is something that the other tracks manage to achieve sonically. It is a quick but powerful conclusion to the project.

If the title of this EP throws you a little, just know that it’s a term for dealing with a devastating loss or a huge disappointment; you might need to take a little “copium,” to help. When explaining the project, Boy In Space mentioned that Copium gave him “a chance to get a lot of things off my chest.” If you listen back to these songs, you can make a connection between the cathartic release that Boy In Space describes and the short nature of the tracks. These songs get to the point and move on, as if Boy In Space is jotting down a quick line in a diary. Their brief duration adds to their charm, however, as they leave you wanting more. Overall, there is a friend in Boy In Space, someone who has been on both sides of love and heartbreak and can help those out there who may not know what to make of such situations. At the end of the day, he expressed, “I would love it if Copium could help others to cope with whatever they are going through, like it has helped me.” There’s nothing left to do now but wait for the powers of Copium to take effect.