While sitting in the backseat of my car, I found myself fluttering in and out of my own sub-mind while quickly getting lost in the sweet melodies and mind-bending dreams of “Lighter,” the latest single from Taylor Hughes, otherwise known as pure xtc.
The brooding alt-pop phenom’s latest single continues the uphill trends pushed forward by Hughes to keep her music fresh and everchanging. No two songs released by pure xtc have sparked the same imagination shift, each coming paired with their own demons and dreams.
But does “Lighter” hold itself high among the rest of the outstanding and highly replayable catalog currently under the pure xtc banner? Or does the brooding artist finally have a bright “L” to flash on an otherwise perfect scoreboard? Let’s find out.
Let’s rip the band-aid off straight away. “Lighter” comes close to being one of the best songs Taylor Hughes has imagined up. It simply has it all; relatable qualities, a touch of whimsical bliss, and an earworm chorus that’ll instantly have returning and new coming listeners hooked.
pure xtc nowadays seems never to miss the mark, as previously mentioned, and of course, “Lighter” continues the trend, leaving in in awe as I once again clear my memory of who Taylor Hughes used to be and the amazing artist she has become over the years, constantly leaving me wanting more and more, as I find her notable genre-bending quickly becoming the soundtrack of my 30s.
“Lighter” has all the qualities of a significant player in any genre, and the pure passion Taylor brings to her songwriting always reflects in the undertones, providing even more depth to what some would call shallow walls.
Wrapping in the comforting touch of a safety blanket drenched in gasoline, “Lighter” will leave listeners deep in their thoughts as they play the mental games that come with diving deep into any release by pure xtc.
As I quickly wash away the bitter-sweet daydream in the backseat of my car, I still find myself hitting replay on “Lighter” as the hours drag on and the sun burns the sky. In under 4 minutes, pure xtc reaffirms why I’ll probably be a lifelong fan, as with each release, I find myself itching for the next, and if I know Taylor, she’s cooking up something good in the backstreets of her mind for the next one.
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Stream pure xtc’s daydream-fueled single, “Lighter,” on Spotify & Apple Music
