With an ear for writing catchy toplines and the ability to switch from dreamy soundscapes to aggressive pop beats at the drop of a hat, Troye Sivan captures queer melancholia in a way few of his peers are able to emulate. On his first single since last year’s immaculate In a Dream EP, the singer teams up with DJ Regard and breakout up-and-comer Tate McRae for “You,” a breakup anthem that fits in snugly with the rest of Sivan’s catalog while still advancing his artistry.
Over Regard’s clubby synths and a sturdy kick drum, Sivan unravels his heartbreak, questioning the abruptness of the split from his significant other and how it’s made him obsessive; he pleads in the chorus “I haven’t moved on, but trust me, I’ve tried/if I give you a call, don’t hang up the line.” McRae takes the second verse, listing the ways in which her former lover has her “wrapped around [their] fingertip.” Our protagonists join together in their misery for the rest of the track, attempting — and unfortunately failing — to claw their way out of the rut they find themselves in, making “You” all the more relatable to this lovesick generation.
Rating: 4/5