Disco continues its winning streak! After teasing the genre in previous song “No Drug Like Me,” pop darling Carly Rae Jepsen has fully embraced the style on “Julien” — opening track and third single from the singer’s fourth album, Dedicated. In promotion, Jepsen referred to the song as what “taught [her] the heart and direction of this album,” perhaps hinting that the rest of the record will have similar disco flavors scattered throughout. As previously mentioned, I am more than excited for this resurgence in relevancy as an inspiration for producers; in regards to “Julien,” the track consists of crisp hi-hats, thumping beats, and shapeshifting vocal samples to brilliantly support the singer’s fragile vocal delivery.
Sometimes the people that walk in and out of our lives leave incredibly lasting impressions, and no songwriter knows that better than Jepsen, the undisputed queen of crushes. Longing for a former lover, the singer begins the track defeated, reciting how she’s “forever haunted by our time” to the titular partner; as the verse continues, the singer reveals that she couldn’t make up her mind, leaving them with only a summer of memories. The beat kicks in at the chorus, with Jepsen pleading for the extinguished flame between them to be lit again — she goes so far as to state she’s be whispering Julien’s name “to the last breath [she] breathe[s].” It’s an extremely melodramatic affair, which only continues in its theatricality as the song dances along, but that’s exactly how the singer’s emotions translate through lyrics. The most outlandish of the Dedicated cuts so far, “Julien” is an effervescent addition to the Jepsen canon, undoubtedly sure to churn up excitement for what’s to come.
Rating: 4.5/5