London-based singer-songwriter Atticus Blue looks back and sings to his younger self on his new single “blue.” The acoustic track finds Blue addressing himself, asking how he’s been and questioning if “therapy’s working”. The singer throws around phrases such as “excavate your bones” and “even when the dark days leave you lying on the floor” to demonstrate the melancholic point of view of the song before ultimately reaching the centerpiece of the chorus: “Take your time, but don’t take this life of yours”.
Blue’s voice flows from a smooth midtone to a high, fluttering falsetto over the course of the chorus. At times, his delivery is littered with flourishes that are reminiscent of staple “cursive” singers such as Halsey, with a touch of the indie and acoustic stylings of mid-2010’s radio pop. Blue’s tactic to break the fourth wall and reference not only his past self but his own career pursuits (“Like maybe school isn’t the place for you right now or maybe music is worth giving a try out”) is effective for the most part, but comes off as slightly too self-referential at times, in effect creating a overly treacly listening experience. Regardless of Blue’s self-references, the song stands as a reminder to “hold out hope”, in hard times.
You can listen to “Blue” on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
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