mxmtoon Releases ‘Coming of Age’.
Written by: Julia Jade
It’s time to talk about mxmtoon’s new EP. To properly do the EP justice, we’ll need to break this down track by track.
COMING OF AGE
The song’s title is appropriate as this tune feels like it urgently needs to be featured in a wholesome coming of age film or series. The upbeat synth instrumentation feels whimsical and almost animated; reminiscent of a charming video game score. In the wake of “Heartstopper,” the recent Netflix release based on Alice Oseman’s series, I can’t help but feel that this song needs to be featured in Season 2 to properly underscore the experience of growing up. The lyrics “the old me was okay, but I think it’s time for something new” underscored by a joyous, peppy beat evoke a vivid image of our teenage years, both exciting and scary, filled with a sense of hope and also hopelessness as we are constantly changing ourselves and evolving into our most authentic form. I danced, I cried, I danced again.
VICTIM OF NOSTALGIA
The track opens with a very open, bright rhythm guitar, and is a bit more produced than mxmtoon’s typical sound. The verses are undeniably catchy and are more conversational than sung, another choice that is less common in mxmtoon’s prior discography. The lyric “Getting older’s getting old and I wish someone would’ve told me,” sums up this songs message perfectly. Adding to the scene set by the titular track “coming of age,” mxmtoon flawlessly depicts “the panic of growing up and the fear of falling down.” The rollercoaster ride of growing up and the feeling of looking back, knowing that you’re passed that “thrill,” and “fear of falling down” that you once lived.
SAD DISCO
“Sad Disco” feels like less of a commentary or finished story and more of a slice of life. We follow a girl faced with a sense of loneliness juxtaposed with the image of a disco- a communal space with dancing and music. This lively, danceable track surrounds you and feels like the perfect pick-me-up when you’re feeling a bit alone... tuning what could feel lonely and empty into “your own sad disco.” Seems like the perfect song to blast on a night that your plans are cancelled last minute.
MONA LISA
“Mona Lisa” feels like a separate but still cohesive ending to “Coming of Age.” (I really didn’t want it to end... guess I’m a victim of nostalgia?) The production is a bit quirkier, with vocals way in the front— melody a bit kitschy and dreamy. This track is more representative of mxmtoon’s prior works— emphasizing lofi-sounding ukulele and vocal production over a more polished radio sound. However, the message ties the theme of this album together in a neat bow— dreaming of the type of person you’d like to be and starting a new chapter. As she says in the first track, “let the curtains close, this ain’t a coming of age anymore, so let the credits roll.” This track closes out a stage of life full of constant change, confusion, excitement, and heartbreak, and leads us into the next phase, where you can be whoever you want, without the growing pains of growing up.
These are gift we didn’t deserve... it might be time to stream this one 24/7. I wish this had existed when I was in high school!