“What’s dust to you is gold to me, but we’re just different books to read – where every single chapter is another cliff hanger” rings out in the scintillating pre-chorus, with Au/Ra continuing her penchant for surrealist lyricism. Backed up by a spirited rhythm section and thick, brooding bass-heavy production – ‘Kicks’ is an alternative pop song of the highest order, carefully sprinkled with flecks of bright electronics and intelligent synth work.
Au/Ra clearly feels she’s a little different from her peers. Raised in Antigua after moving there from Ibiza at the age of 5 – she’s no doubt grown up to appreciate the small things in life. Not one to go out “chasing dollar bills” – she instead finds the excitement in her songwriting process – “when my thoughts start to rhyme, goosebumps never lie.”
Speaking on the track, Au/Ra has said: “’Kicks’ is about accepting uniqueness. I find my thrills when writing songs, listening to good music, being creative or fangirling over a TV series, while somebody else might get a kick out of doing something completely different that feeds their passions. ‘Kicks’ is about being okay with who you are and your differences, and owning that.”
Whilst the minimal, glitchy production of both ‘Kicks’ and her debut ‘Concrete Jungle’ serve as a fitting introduction to Au/Ra’s sound, it’s her love of marrying make-believe with reality and presenting it with infectious pop melodies that will leave listeners hungry for more.
Wildly talented, with an eye for detail – Au/Ra’s career has started phenomenally well. With over 4 million accumulative streams of her debut single ‘Concrete Jungle’, along with key support from The Line Of Best Fit, Wonderland Magazine, Popjustice and more – she’s got an exciting path ahead of her – with new single ‘Kicks’ sure to be the next important step.
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