“FYP” by RIZ LA VIE will genuinely surprise and delight you. It’s heavy, imbued with the distorted darkness of a 90s or early 2000s grunge/alternative track. It has the lyrical flow of a trap song, sticking to a few key notes and emphasizing rhythm rather than melody. Then, out of nowhere, it morphs into a soft bossa nova–and it’s gone from being a hip, Tik-Tok-friendly rock tune to something so much more complex, fascinating, and genuinely brilliant. Anyone from the casual music-loving teen to the musician’s musician can appreciate “FYP.”
A trio of rumbling bass, tight guitar stabs, and distorted drums usher us into the song. “Saw you went to a concert without me / I wanna hear you singin’,” the singer utters with this low, raspy tone. This is where he’s the most melodic, reaching to the occasional high note to add a little tinge of drama. Another instrumental section explodes into existence, filling the mix with its heavy, satisfying intensity. When we melt into the subtle strums of an acoustic guitar, the dynamic energy softens again for another verse.
Something that’s rather interesting about this track is that there is no real chorus. It has a somewhat strophic structure to it. Some melodic “ah’s” do paint the repeated instrumental section, but there is no lyrical content associated with it. Breaking free from a classic pop structure solidifies this song as well-thought-out and genuinely smart. Plus, there’s no overstating how satisfying the groove change during the bridge feels. It’s one of those songs you’ll immediately save to your playlists–no questions asked.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
