January in Singles

1. “Still Da Same”—Sematary, Xaviersobased

“Still Da Same” is a fiery explosion between hyperpop influences and jerk rap. Sematary’s production feels like the unstable rush elicited by a Celsius-Monster combinatory buzz—its main, high-pitched synth is quivery, rough, and warbly, complemented by a never-ending barrage of speedy hi-hats and harsh 808s. Xaviersobased’s airy rapping is strikingly emotive; he uses autotune to raise and strain his voice, exuding intensity and angst as he laments over girls and pills. He breaks up and layers his voice in a manner that matches the synth’s constant shifts. Unlike the laid-back, slow-paced vibe tracks characteristic of the rest of Xavier’s discography, “Still Da Same” is a high-octane musical outburst; it presents a look at the melodic, maximalist side of Xavier’s music—an artistic direction he’s tapped into before, but hasn’t explored enough. Meanwhile, Sematary gets completely washed. He’s corny and lacks gravitas. His hoarse voice sounds artificial and exaggerated, and he spits out conspicuously idiotic bars like “See, I don't [EXPLETIVE] with God, he's my [EXPLETIVE] opp.” “Still Da Same” is a powerful exhibition of Xavier and Sematary’s styles converging—but next time, Sematary should probably stick to the beats. 

2. “JRJRJR”—Jane Remover

Following Census Designated (2023), a project that primarily took influence from shoegaze, pop pioneer Jane Remover’s latest release “JRJRJR” synthesizes her abrasive, hyperpop roots with the Opium rage movement. Its instrumental, an extravaganza of constant, crushing 808s, is reminiscent of a 2hollis beat taken to the extreme; Remover’s autotuned, cut-up voice resembles the cadences Ken Carson took in A Great Chaos (2023). 

The track is the lead single for Remover’s upcoming album Revengeseekerz (2025). It represents a drastic shift from the soft, poppy lightness of Remover’s 2024 releases, like “Magic I Want You.” Instead, “JRJRJR” uses its rap influences to expel Remover’s unwavering fury and agitation. With her stacked up, distorted voice, Remover airs her grievances out rapid fire. She complains about others talking trash (“Do you think I’m a diva grouped with [EXPLETIVE] I’m nothing like?”), her resentment towards performing her old tracks (“Rehearsing songs I hate in Silver Lake, trying not to cry”), and her new artistic directions being rejected by her listeners (“They like the pop song but leave when [EXPLETIVE] gets ugly”). Her lyrics express her desire for heartless apathy to remedy her constant feelings of self hatred; she blissfully accepts feeling isolated, asserting, “I got no brothers, no sisters and I love it / (Yeah) I don't need new friends, don't need [EXPLETIVE] buddies (Yeah).” As Remover grapples with the disparities between her own feelings toward her music and that of her fans, she considers embracing a complete artistic reinvention by changing her stage name, something she’s done before. She repeats variations of the lyric “So should I change my name again? JR, JR, JR JR, JR, JR, JR, JR, JR, JR / [EXPLETIVE], I hate the way it rolls off the tongue, full circle” several times, accompanied by powerful 808s that match her vocal intensity. The motif is reinforced by a stuttering “J” sound repeated throughout the track amidst the 808s, invoking the track’s title, itself an abbreviated version of her stage name. Though Remover only dances around the idea of a reset, in fully embracing this rage rap style, she’s already accepting reinvention, a testament to her artistic volatility. The track is an exciting look at Revengeseekerz’s sonic direction and a promise that Remover will continue with her genre-bending experimentation.

3. “ Besties” - Black Country, New Road

Black Country, New Road might be the only band that could pull off references to “TikTok trends” and “besties” while maintaining a distinctly genuine lyrical attitude. “Besties” grapples with the delicate ontology of juggling a platonic friendship that could blossom into something romantic. The lyrical and instrumental makeup of “Besties” is markedly different from Black Country, New Road’s Charli-XCX-wet-dream and tears-for-beers, destructive-symphony of a sophomore album, Ants From Up There (2022).  With “Besties,” Black Country, New Road ventures into a new twee-infused atmosphere with catchy melodies and jangly percussion accompaniments. The opening to “Besties” experiments with volume and pace, launching into a loud outburst of choral hums and quickly receding back into a subdued solo. As the song winds through the chorus, violinist and band member Georgia Ellery—whose vocals are featured for the first time in Black Country, New Road’s recorded discography—flips between inflection points, imitating her bandmates’ lilted, breathy vocals. However, Ellery’s voice cultivates a smoother, more upbeat tonality in the band’s production style, her cascading high notes coating “Besties” with an elegant sweetness. Despite this, the band still retains their signature instrumental sequences and techniques; they recall their beloved horn sequence from “Up Song” off their Bush Hall record. The song chants “Look at what we did together, BCNR friends forever.” Black Country, New Road continues to ruminate on the longevity of friendship on “Besties,” asking “do you wanna play / forever how long can I play?”