By Nysa Gandhi
In a time when any song can become popularized by media platforms like TikTok, artists like Remi Wolf are essential to the music industry. Genreless, explosive, and utterly irresistible, Wolf’s music has the ability to put any listener in a good mood. Her debut album “Juno” presents an array of wildly catchy songs that will make listeners want to dance while also tackling important issues in Wolf’s life.
“Juno,” titled after Wolf’s french bulldog, opens up with the punchy “Liquor Store,” which details Wolf’s experience with getting sober over quarantine. These themes stay true throughout the whole album, with Wolf often using upbeat, zany production to convey serious topics.
Songs like “Anthony Kiedis” and “wyd” explore Wolf’s experience with her rise to fame in LA during the pandemic with lyrics like “fly away from all the pain, confusing love for fame / don’t wanna hear my name to feel better.” “Front Tooth” covers similar topics, with Wolf equating her rise to fame to a “Conor McGregor fight,” saying that “this don’t feel like it’s supposed to.”
Wolf excels in her ability to relate to Gen-Z, as she tackles serious issues like mental health with her nihilistic sense of humor. Quickly rising in popularity, “Sexy Villain,” the fourth single of the album, is Wolf’s exploration of her darker side, all sung in tantalizing harmonies over funky bass and an electronic beat. Lyrics like “I'm cool with the hiding / Cool if the cops aren't invited” show her earnestness in exploring the unsavory parts of herself.
Perhaps the most sonically smooth song on the album, “Volkiano,” shows Wolf’s ability to utilize her upbeat production to make sad situations into extremely catchy songs. Lyrics like “I apologize if I take it too far / But I get bored wearing all of these scars” are supported by bright drums and technicolor guitar riffs. Similarly, “Sally” feels like a wonderful mix of highs and lows, as Wolf’s vocals float effortlessly over the picked steel guitar, airy synths, and arpeggiating bass that dominate the production. She sings about a muse (presumably the titular Sally) with lyrics like “God, she's a Mona / Hot like Arizona.”
“Street You Live On'' is a perfect culmination to the album, with Wolf singing about avoiding the street that her ex lives on, “looking for ways that I can avoid you.” Listeners feel a natural ending to Wolf’s journey throughout the album, discovering herself and then ending an unhealthy relationship. Juno is the perfect story, beginning to end, yet still leaves the listener wanting more of Wolf’s ear-catching work.
Even with evident influence from artists like Lana Del Rey and The Weeknd, Wolf is able to create a body of work that feels and sounds entirely her own. The album is perfectly cohesive, with all of the tracks sounding like they could only belong to Wolf’s discography. Listening to Juno is an experience in and of itself, and I can promise that after the first listen, you won’t be able to get enough!
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