“Weigh Down” by Katanak is the perfect song for any Bad Suns, WALK THE MOON, or The 1975 fan. For real– if you love that clean, tight indie-rock sound, you’re in for a treat. The track is overflowing with fantastic melodies, vocal tones, and production tricks.
The start rapidly swells from a distant, covered beat into the verse lyrics. The singer’s crystal-clear, low vocal tone cuts through the mix, chiming, “I need just a little more guidance / but no one’s ever reached it…” The guitars juxtapose this with a crisp, trebly, rhythmic sound. Everything about this mix is perfectly balanced. It’s devoid of muddiness and boominess, but still expresses every area of the range.
The chorus comes in after a small, ethereal instrumental breakdown, which turns the choppier verse on its head for a moment. The melody hurtles in with a few short hits, mirrored by the instrumentation. The way everything, especially the drums, emphasizes these beats gives the chorus an enrapturing feeling. It’s the kind of chorus that makes you want to dance alone in your room when no one’s watching.
After another verse and chorus, this incredible bridge kicks in. The song suddenly goes from an indie-pop tune to something sort of pop-punk and theatrical. The guitars hit these full, crunchy power chords as the singer’s voice soars into the stratosphere, “Why am I so lost?” The tension continues to heighten in the vocal line, carving out a painfully emotional tune, until the last phrase. Here the vocalist belts a few tasteful high notes and everything suddenly drops into a quiet, finger-snapped chorus. Eventually, this graduates into another full-production chorus to finish off the song.
Katanak’s “Weigh Down” is an indie masterpiece. It’s catchy, well-produced, upbeat, and a tiny bit angsty. It undoubtedly belongs in your Spring 2022 playlist.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
Photo credits: Gabi Rankine
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