ARXX – Call Me Crazy (self-released)
A change in tone for Brighton duo ARXX on latest single Call Me Crazy as they showcase an alt-pop sound with all the power we’d expect from them, plus added reflection and shimmering harmonies.
Artist: ARXX
Title: Call Me Crazy
Label: self-released
Released: 14 October 2020
Find it: Bandcamp | Spotify
Some days it is easier to talk to yourself, and listen to yourself, than others. Some days the internal monologue flows freely, and neutrally, or supportively and others…well…it does not. No-one knows but you whether your inner world is a sanctuary or a hostile space, and that it can make or break a moment, an experience, an existence.
Latest track Call Me Crazy from ARXX faces into that with intimate reflection in the lyrics, sweeping alt-pop melody, and understated emotion which resonates intensely.
Shimmering, there is a calmness to the lyrics, a patience long overdue and in it the relief of acceptance. Harmonies and joint exaltations there is all the feel of Tegan and Sara or a subdued Charlie XX, while soft reverb and the dropping in and out of down-tempo drums gives this the expanse and melodic emotion of the best ’80s pop.
About the song singer and guitarist Hannah said, “It’s a happy pop song about the trials and tribulations of living with depression. The chorus is an internal dialogue about getting stuck in your head and forgetting to enjoy life. It’s a very personal insight into my experiences with mental health.”
The single is a move on (but not a departure from) in their sound for the Brighton duo on. Previous releases – most recently 2019’s Wrong Girl, Honey EP – have been built around raw garage rock and punk vibes, full of urgency and defiance. There it is pounding rhythms and bold scuzzy guitars, but the band are no strangers to harmony and so Call Me Crazy feels like an exciting evolution moving some of that rawness and vulnerability from the melody to the personal lyrics.
Continuing to be one of the most vital bands around with Call Me Crazy ARXX has allowed another facet of their songwriting to be shown, and sound effortless in this move toward alt-pop from their usual garage rock territory.
Call Me Crazy from ARXX is out now on all digital platforms.
Find ARXX: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify
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Sarah Lay
A long-standing music journalist she's also co-founder of independent record label Reckless Yes, an author of novels, and when not messing around with words and music, a digital strategist.
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