As soon as I pressed play on “Black & Blues” by Armen Paul I was taken back to junior year when a little indie movie took over the world. While this song has a darker undertone than the film that came to my mind, musically some parts undeniably could have placed this on the ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ soundtrack almost two decades ago.
“Black & Blues” comes through with perfect indie-pop. So much so that at first, one would assume by the tone of the music that this was an airy ditty. Peeling back the layers though, you’d find the darkness lurking beneath the surface. “Black & Blues” will hit the heart of anyone who grew up in a less than stellar environment. One that was so toxic, the only thing that comes to mind years later when reminiscing about certain people and aspects is intense discomfort. It’s not the easiest song to get through on that level, but Armen Paul lightens the mood by folding in those indie-pop elements that transform into electropop moments.
When this journey started with Armen Paul, my mind went straight to the past but in listening more and more and making it to the end more than half a dozen times, I will say the emotional weight this carries along with the more modern electropop ways would allow “Black & Blues” to shine in the ‘Euphoria’ realm. Those who’ve liked the music on that show or are into artists such as Upsahl and Mothica can make sure to check out “Black & Blues” on all major music and streaming platforms now.
Written by Kendra Beltran
