The latter half of 2018 has been inarguably dominated by The 1975. The UK band began the album roll out for the forthcoming A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, slated for a November 3rd release, when they released Give Yourself A Try. The lead single was quickly followed by "Love It If We Made It," "TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME," and "Sincerity Is Scary"–all of which pushed The 1975 more and more out of their comfort zone and defied the expectations of many, leaving some unsure of what to surmise about the unifying sound of this new era. Their latest release, "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" takes us back to the beginning by possessing the core sound of The 1975 that got so many listeners hooked on them in the first place.
The band's music has a number of characteristics that have accumulated over the years and can be expected in various songs throughout their discography, and they've managed to check every box with "It's Not Living." Each of Matty Healy's verses of storytelling concludes with a pause, giving you mere seconds to digest the content about operation complications, living in a simulation, and loss of control. The brief pauses introduce the standout synth sound of the track before diving into the most infectious pop chorus we've received from The 1975 in quite a while. There's also a wonderful string of words that build a lyric to be delivered in unison by fans on tour: "And I know you think you're sly but you need some imagination." Complete with a dreamlike outro, "It's Not Living" is The 1975 at their greatest and manages to transport listeners to a simpler world where everything feels right.
Information about The 1975's upcoming tour can be found here.
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