“Casual” by Jack Foz is the perfect vessel for angst. Its synth-rock/alternative production style solidifies it as cool and trendy, while the songwriting gives it that tinge of melodrama we all so often crave from our musical experiences. Not to mention, the way the dynamics build to a fever pitch makes you want to dance, run, or drive off into the sunset. If you want something relatable, easy to enjoy, and a little gritty, you couldn’t do better than “Casual.”
A synth bass swell invites us into the track, which pretty much immediately explodes into an eighties-adjacent synth riff. A crash-heavy drum groove propels it forward until it all suddenly melts into a verse. “So tell me / Do you talk about me to all of your friends? / Do you tell them that it’s bound to end?” Jack cries, reaching an impressively powerful belt. We’re let into this message about a strained interpersonal relationship, something we’ve all had some level of experience with. The drums perform some ornamental tom fills as an electric guitar plucks through a series of anticipatory notes. The verse does a fantastic job of making you anxiously await the return of the wild energy of the intro.
The pre-chorus gets us about halfway there, re-introducing the crash cymbals but keeping the other instrumentation sort of staccato. The chorus erupts with a cloud of background vocals, causing the instrumentation to conglomerate into one big wall of sound. It’s loud. It’s climactic. It’s an incredibly effective piece of songwriting. Be sure to give Jack Foz a listen! You’ll be glad you did.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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