Taking on a much more gritty, alt-rock style to his signature melodic vocals, this track is driven by heavily distorted guitars, threaded with synth textures, and pulsating drums. It's harder-hitting than his last release, 'Don't Say That', commanding the listener's attention through its urgent energy and tightly layered production.
Lyrically, it follows Ruel's heartbreak of losing his love for himself due to a relationship. Covering the chaos of processing the aftermath of a breakup, which ultimately doesn't seem worth the pain. There's a recurring idea of losing his smile throughout both verses; he first describes it as having "a mouth full of blood and my teeth on the ground", to "take another sledgehammer to my one-tooth smile", suggesting that this relationship has been repeatedly making him lose his happiness and himself in general. The vulnerability that he shows through his words has become a defining feature of his work; along with his playful delivery, they're as inventive as they are revealing.
Overall, Ruel has a talent for making relatable topics into fun emotional releases, no matter the feeling behind them. Whether it's love, heartbreak, or frustration, a track from his will always deliver a catchy melody, smooth vocals, and a thoughtful, intentional instrumental.
His new album, set to be released on June 12th, will no doubt give fans the continuation of the feeling that they've experienced through his last album. And with the European leg of his tour spanning throughout October later on this year, Ruel is showing no sign of slowing down.
Emma Turner
Image: Maria Alvarez