I seriously cannot get enough of this album, or this man-band considering its been twenty-five years and these boys are still rising on the charts. Who would’ve thought all of those “I<3Brian” headers on my school binders would still be relevant today?

This single is part of the group’s ninth studio album and they clearly didn’t come back to just swagger around in matching denim ensembles. They came to bring their A-game and give today’s pop charts what it’s looking for- an electronic love song to rock out with nostalgia on the brain.

Right off the bat with the first chord progression, the piano sample automatically reminded me of 5 Seconds of Summer’s “Want You Back” and plays consistently throughout the song giving it a cool, synthesized dance vibe to the classic BSB “cookie-cutter boyband” style of music. It’s clear to see that the boys are really trying to branch out with their music style and sampling from other artists and genres to further evolve their music on this album, to reflect who they are as a band today- equal parts funky and fresh.

“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” is that song that you can turn all the way up and dance like nobody’s watching. Much like Elton John’s song of the same name, they’re talking about not leaving them heartbroken because love is something they value deeply and if this girl we’re to break their hearts, they don’t think they could handle it because “its the only one that they got”.

In an interview with Billboard, member Howie Dorough had commented on the dance movement shaping their sound and the production going into this comeback track, “Something we’re really known for is our signature harmonies, our great melodies — stuff that just makes you feel something and moves you. Hopefully, with the right team around us and producers, we’re able to do that and stay relevant.”

I really think he hit the nail on the head. Stuart Crichton had worked hard to find the right song for these guys to re-emerge back on the scene with, after five years apart. This song definitely made me head bop in anticipation for the rest of the album, and their future singles seeing as how “[their music is ageless] as long as you get it done right, you can fit in anywhere”

Backstreet’s back, alright!

-Genna Dara

If I could say anything about “Freelance” by Toro y Moi’s most recent album, is that it is a musical mixed bag. The production of this track plays with so many shaky synthesizers, heavy basses, and truthful lyrics, that listening to it feels like a whirlwind of sound that left my head spinning thinking “what just happened?” amongst other things.

Turns out I wasn’t far off on my assumptions. This single definitely packed a disconnected kind of funky electronic-pop sound, with gravelly backup vocals, intentionally sounding like a scratched CD. It’s plain to see that Chaz Bear really wanted to experiment with new sounds- different from that of Toro’s typical sound- and use the 30 minutes of the album to construct an ode to those people who will use technology in a positive way, by creating art and spreading joy with it.

The lines in the last verse, “I can’t hear you, maybe you could change your tone/ People tend to listen when they see your soul” highlights an important message that is significant to remember, to remind listeners that even though you may feel (artistically) blocked or alone at times, that you can still express yourself using art to speak out against the ugliness in the world.

While I could appreciate the message Bear was making about self-expression, this track was musically all over the place and hard to focus on the message due to the deafening instrumentals in the background. On a lighter note, if you’re looking for an energetic dance song to play when your friend passes you the AUX cord, then this might be the song you’d want to blast.

-Genna Dara