Trap-pop single from Shallows takes on the darker side of life.

 

Every good pop song is born out of bitterness, darkness, despair or pain. Or, the ones that aren’t written by someone else are at least.

These strong human emotions have a habit of speaking to the most enjoyably meloncholy rhythms and melodies, as proven by Shallows on their new single Ride To Die. It’s a sultry blend of trap, alt-pop, electronic and goth, built on a simple rhythm section and a velvetine vocal line that is equal parts disenchanted and caring. Then again, that’s ultimately what you’d expect to get from a single that focusses on detailing the mindset of a drug addict.

Such a cheery subject was never going to get any treatment other than the dark alt-pop one that Shallows have given it. Ride To Die is a brooding beast of a song, taking the ever-popular chilled out vibe of recent electronic pop hits and spinning it into sinister directions.