Song of the Week: The Beyoncé Renaissance Has Begun With “BREAK MY SOUL”

Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff
·7 min read
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The post Song of the Week: The Beyoncé Renaissance Has Begun With “BREAK MY SOUL” appeared first on Consequence.

Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Beyoncé signals the arrival of her new era with “BREAK MY SOUL.” 

Beyoncé is not usually here to be relatable. She’s a world-class performer, the kind of artist who can redefine what it means to headline a festival or perform at the Super Bowl; she perfected the art of the surprise release, and is constantly open to exploring new stories, whether it be through a sprawling opus like Lemonade or a cinematic accompaniment like The Lion King: The Gift. She’s also quite a private person, one of the most famous and recognized artists of our time, rarely peeling back the curtain on her personal life in recent years.

It’s so refreshing, and almost funny, then, to see Beyoncé return with lyrics like, “I just fell in love, and I just quit my job.” It’s Beyoncé as one of the people, a staple of the music industry as a whole experiencing burnout and malaise, capturing the feelings of the era of the Great Resignation — even if it’s from afar.

Co-produced by The-Dream, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, and Beyoncé herself, the track also samples of Big Freedia and Robin S over the upbeat, house-adjacent, New Orleans-bounce infused beat. The song arrived earlier this week on June 20th alongside the official first day of summer, appropriately-timed not only as a song of the season but also as one made to coincide with new beginnings. On the summer solstice, the sun is at its very highest point of the year, offering the most daylight and the least darkness.

It’s a fitting metaphor for a relatively escapist track, one that signals warmth, and dancing, and togetherness above all else. Why lie: it’s been another tough week after another increasingly tough week, and Beyoncé is trying to make our souls feel just a bit less broken by it all.

— Mary Siroky
Contributing Editor

Honorable Mentions:

The Interrupters – “Jailbird”

The Interrupters have dropped “Jailbird,” the latest single from their upcoming “In the Wild,” which can only mean one thing: it’s time to skank. The California ska-punkers deliver another helping of powerful, poppy punk rock that’s complete with guitar shrieks and a chant-worthy chorus. Tackling themes of mental illness, it’s a cathartic two and a half minutes recognizing the constant battle of mental health. It’s songs like this that justify their opening slot for legendary acts like Green Day or Flogging Molly. If they keep this up, they might even reach those nights themselves. — Jonah Krueger

Mura Masa, Shygirl, Channel Tres – “hollaback bitch”

UK producer Mura Masa recently announced his forthcoming third album, aptly-titled Demon Time, set to drop on September 16th — and this week, he’s shared the stylish “hollaback bitch,” featuring verses from Shygirl and Channel Tres. Where his last record R.Y.C. focused on a more understated, vulnerable, and guitar-based approach, Mura Masa’s intentions with “hollaback bitch” and Demon Time are simple: have as much fun as possible.

The house-oriented style hearkens back to his debut, and as always, his collaborators find a way to maximize the melodies atop Mura Masa’s percussive, club-ready beats. Complete with a suave trumpet line in the song’s chorus, there’s something effortless and cool about “hollaback bitch,” reflecting the fact that Mura Masa always finds a way to add his signature golden touch. — Paolo Ragusa

mazie – “somebody to lose”

The dreamy, psychedelic “somebody to lose” is one of mazie’s strongest singles yet. Embracing a warmer, more naturalistic hue than her previous releases, mazie is letting her voice shine, conjuring the likes of Hope Sandoval, Phoebe Bridgers, and Billie Eilish above a patient, blooming track. And though the song sounds breezy and effortless, there’s a great deal of tension in the lyrics; throughout, mazie describes a toxic relationship that she struggles to resist. It’s a well-constructed portrait of how even when something is bad for us, the intoxicating glow is enough to keep you high — but only for so long. — P.R.

Hayley Kiyoko – “deep in the woods”

While “deep in the woods” might have set expectations for a more acoustic or folk-leaning track from Hayley Kiyoko, the track is instead another great pop offering from the artist, whose highly anticipated sophomore album PANORAMA is set to arrive in July. There’s a sense of excitement and mystery to the track, but more than anything, it feels like she’s letting us in on a secret.

“All I want is to be close to you,” she promises. The melody on the verses strongly recalls that of “Zombie,” the enduring track from The Cranberries, imbuing the final product with even more of a sense of wistfulness. “I met you in another life,” she says, making it all too easy to believe her. — M.S.

Christine and the Queens – “Je te vois enfin”

No one does art pop quite like the French, and Christine and the Queens’ “Je te vois enfin” is another example of that. The artist otherwise known as Héloïse Adelaïde Letissier is known to be a genre-bending creative, dipping into everything from rap collaborations to credits on Charli XCX tracks. Here, with “Je te vois enfin” (which translates to “I finally see you”), a throbbing beat carries us through an examination of sin, forgiveness, and tentative hopefulness.

The lyric translations are highly visual and evocative, painting pictures of golden sunlight piercing through amber forests, and there’s a sense of resilience and determination to the track even for those of us who haven’t yet perfected our French. Some feelings are universal. — M.S.

Zella Day – “Radio Silence”

While conversations around Roe v. Wade have been heightened for weeks, culminating in today’s horrifying decision, it’s a bit too fitting that Zella Day’s “Radio Silence” dropped on June 24th as well. The song chronicles her journey through a dark and eventually life-threatening time trying to navigate an unexpected pregnancy — it’s indie folk through the lens of ’80s nostalgia, and the idea of being dragged back in time is a poignant one considering the subject matter.

The conversation around safe abortion access is far from over, and Zella Day’s story is only one of so many. Today, listening to one woman’s story is as good a place as any to start. — M.S.

Pure Shores – “Light Of My Life”

“You bring magic to these dark times,” Swedish duo Pure Shores tell us on their new single. It’s one of the loveliest things imaginable to say to a lover in this era — aren’t we all a little sick of living through unprecedented events? The duo, as they proved with their December 2021 single “Back On My Love,” know what it takes to take a track from catchy territory to truly danceable status. The bouncy and vibrant “Light Of My Life” is a necessary dose of optimism. — M.S.

Tianna Esperanza – “Princess Slit and the Raincoat Prince”

Here, Tianna Esperanza, an exciting newcomer with a distinctive sound, puts her musical might and innovative spirit on display. “Princess Slit and the Raincoat Prince” is hard to place because of how interestingly it blends different elements of folk, goth, garage rock, soul, punk, and hip-hop. It starts with a tightly syncopated conga beat, a hushed fuzzy palm-muted guitar driving the rhythm, and Esperanza’s silky voice singing an eerie, drawn-out melody. The song is eclectic, but the way Esperanza naturally blends such a variety of sounds while still carving her own voice shows that this artist is a promising talent overflowing with potential. — André Heizer

Agar Agar – “Trouble”

French duo Agar Agar’s new single is a euphoric dance song that combines elements of trance, synthwave, jungle, and techno, all coming together in an exciting rush. Bouncy synth bass and pounding drums propel you through its various moods — from lively to surreal to tender — and you’ll find yourself simultaneously perplexed and captivated by the explosion of blended sounds. Clara Cappagli’s vocals are bold and playful, and full of a confidence that glues the layered atmosphere together. — A.H. 

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Song of the Week: The Beyoncé Renaissance Has Begun With “BREAK MY SOUL”
Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff

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