20-year-old Norwegian songstress Astrid S is back with a sultrier electro-pop hit “Breathe” (via Island Records). It marks her first music in 2017 following up from her self-titled Astrid S EP (2016), which featured her summer-smash hit “Hurt So Good.” “Breathe” continues to demonstrate her prominence in the electronic-pop realm with catchy hooks complementing thudding electro-beats following in the footsteps of titan Ellie Goulding.
Listen & Watch: “Breathe” – Astrid S
[youtube=https://youtu.be/QxkZRsVgECc?t=0s]“Breathe” allures listeners utilizing Astrid S’ airy-hypnotic vocals that croon the word “breathe” into a vivaciously-sleek song about the person that makes you feel breathless. It’s relatable in the sense of feeling speechless around that special someone. It’s a track that appeals to both pop fans and dance music fans alike combining the best of both genres: memorable harmonic adlibs in a chorus over a smooth electronic backdrop.
It’s been a week since you hit my bed
And since then you’ve started living in my head (eh)
Seven days and I’m nearly dead
Never thought that I’d reboot, but you’re a different kind of new
Astrid S can’t stop thinking about the boy that caught her attention.She’s restless and will go mad if she doesn’t see him again in a toxic obsession. She doesn’t know how to feel anymore as she says “Seven days and I’m nearly dead.”
It’s like I feel everything more (I forget to)
All my body knows it when you reach my floor (eh)
My heart is beating down the door
Now I’m stocking up on oxygen
She senses his presence and nothing else in the world matters at that moment. She knows what is going to happen as she starts to raise her pitch friskily.
‘Cause when I see you
I forget to breathe-eathe-eathe
I forget to breathe-eathe-eathe
I forget to breathe-eathe-eathe
I forget to, when I’m with you
(I forget to)
In the chorus, Astrid S emphasizes losing her breath around the boy. She utilizes her delicate vocals extending “eathe” into a melody itself. The electronic beat becomes rapid yet feathery, which enhances her delicate vocals. Not to mention the electronic echo at the end adds in sassy flair.
If I could just inhale some chill
It’s like I’m living out in space
How am I still here?
Did you slip me a magic pill?
Got me lifted like an astronaut
No helmet on and my lungs just stop
So please, when you look at me like that (like that)
There’s no way to fight back (fight back), no
Please, can’t you see I’m stocking up on oxygen
In these verses Astrid S confirms that she feels high —like the effects of a “magic”— because of him. She’s crooning “please” asking him to not break her heart because “there’s no way to fight back.”
I don’t know how to live without the breath you finish
I don’t know how to live without the breath you finish
I don’t know how to live without the breath you finish
I don’t know how to live without the breath you finish
The light-hearted beat returns for the bridge as Astrid S is building up for the climatic finish. Each time she murmurs this line it increases in pitch and emotion almost as if she’s demanding something from him.
“Breathe” is a mature shift for Astrid S compared to her past songs. She retains her electronic fluid trance sound but dives deeper into adulthood. “Breathe” should hit airwaves soon, with its captivating looping chorus and rhythmic beat makes it a perfect candidate for those late-night DJ remixes. Overall Astrid is more dynamic in “Breathe” asserting herself to her lover, which is synonymous of her becoming more fierce and confident from more seasoned experience in the music industry. “Breathe” is a strong lead for her upcoming debut album and only the start of what is to come.
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cover: Island Records © 2017
