By Allesandro Rotondi

I first took a liking to this song because I thought it didn’t sound like dance/pop music, as opposed to many other tracks on the album. Rhythmically, it grooves like a dance tune, and the instrumental loops like a dance tune, but it sounds like a chillwave-synthpop song. The marimba-sounding synthesizer part loops and dances around the pulsing kick drum beat that drives the song forward and acts as the backbone. The marimba sound is light and fluffy, constantly fluttering in the foreground. It gives off a tropical vibe, like something off the Super Mario Sunshine soundtrack. Because of this, it makes me happy, and gives me feelings of childhood nostalgia.

The lead vocals are strong, but cool. Stacked with two layers of voice, the melody comes off as thick, but smooth in execution. There is also autotune, which is popular in modern pop music, and the hip-hop and dance genres particularly. The repetitious line that clamours “You know I want you right now” for the entirety of the choruses, thrusts this track into the dance/pop genre, noted for its looping instrumentally, melodically, and lyrically. However, it is not forced. It feels intended by the artist, and perhaps this voiced repetition is because he really wants the object of affection to know he means business. I want you, like, right now. The auto-tune and double tracked vocal almost create an unnatural, robotic feel, like a love song from a free-thinking machine.

Since the marimba loop is unchanging, the droning bass tones are the only musical element that can change the chord root. With two or three chords total at best (“Moves Like Jagger”, anyone?), Toro y Moi does a fine job of crafting a well-landscaped, memorable, and interesting vocal melody. It’s one of the best melodies over a simple dance/pop progression that I’ve heard in a long time.

“Baby Drive It Down” definitely drives it home.