Synth, snare, snow: albums to make your winter pop
Music tends to follow individuals through the seasons, and as winter approaches, people will dust off their holiday records to hone in holiday joy. Though the smooth singing and catchy tunes of holiday pop dominate the music rotations of many, I propose three albums that, rather, characterize the winter season from start to finish and stray from the tradition of sleigh bells and Santa Clause.
“Saves the World” by MUNA
Dominated by synth, electric guitar and bass is MUNA’s second record “Saves the World.” The band vulnerably reminisces on heartbreak and self-exploration, questioning their lives’ purpose as a result of each. Though released Sept. 6, 2019, the project reaps major winter energy due to its overall themes aligning with those of the season: love, confrontation and forgiveness.
In “Navy Blue,” the song’s subject ponders their dark emotions in tandem with bitter silence from their previous partner, just as winter confronts individuals with literal darkness and biting cold. “Memento” similarly addresses heartbreak but through the metaphorical lens of a bee sting leaving a scar. Sullen and echoed vocals accompany the lyrics along with intelligible electronica, making the instrumental somewhat reeling. The song encapsulates a woeful winter night: those moments where one meets their emotions with the darkness and chill that resides not only outside, but in their soul.
“Vertigo” by Griff
According to Apple Music, Griff grew up with R&B and classic soul influences from her Chinese mother and Jamaican father, listening to pop country on her own and learning music production through her brother. These genres all coalesce in “Vertigo,” an album that is chillingly vulnerable in its lyricism and instrumental, showcasing a deep reflection from the artist in their own anger, love and chaos. Listening to this album while walking alone through the snow is cathartic; the patterns of snowfall change as Griff takes listeners on an emotional journey from beginning to end.
“Miss Me Too” encompasses resentment as a result of heartbreak. Driven by piano, bass drum and influences from electronic production, Griff’s vocals are a highlight of the entire record, but especially in this song as her vocals climb higher and louder until they peak at the final chorus. “Where Did You Go” is composed with Griff’s own layered vocals in the beginning and with a gradual crescendo; this song is raw as it ponders the ending of a relationship. If the winter season is one of new beginnings, “Vertigo” is the perfect listen with its dismissal of past relationships and reclaiming of oneself.
“Three. Two. One.” by Lennon Stella
Lennon Stella’s “Three. Two. One.” was released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic April 24, 2020, so its themes translate to a season of isolation and reflection, one that is encompassing of quarantine and winter alike. Stella’s instrumentals are influenced by electronic music, their main roots being snare, piano and electric bass. The record confronts emotions surrounding love, heartbreak and self-exploration.
“Fear of Being Alone” explicitly addresses the comfortability of relationships and even if it is not meant to be, the fear of isolation is what keeps people together. With a loud, driving beat, this song heightens throughout the choruses, emphasizing the anxiety felt when self-reflecting on emotional vulnerability. “Older Than I Am” is a more lyrical track that mainly features Stella’s vocals and piano, though more elements are added as she sings the final chorus. The simplicity of the instrumental reveals more emotions and an air of internal reflection, as Stella ponders her maturity in comparison to her age as a result of various life experiences.
Though songs about the holiday season are a great way to uplift joy, they do not hold through until the end of the winter season. However, the albums listed above align with the natural rhythm of the season: slow, reflective and ever-changing.