98. mallrat - “Inside Voices”

If I had to give mallrat an aesthetic it would be Introverted Pop, because all of her songs seem to detail some sort of social anxiety, or at least some sort of quiet and frail malcontent with society at large. It’s not Bedroom Pop, because its too well produced and squeaky clean to have been created in a bedroom, but it was definitely written in a bedroom, and longs to return to one. You can almost imagine a live performance that’s nothing but a livestream from her bedroom – a little plastic disco ball in the corner and a karaoke microphone in hand as she dances across the bed oblivious to the camera. Its not innocent, but its pure – and not pure in a puritan sort of way, but pure in a truthful sort of way. It cuts through all of the bullshit that’s endemic in social situations. It ignores the affectation, the plastic smiles and the oily sheen of small talk. She simply tells it how it is, and in doing so gives us a glimpse into her mind. It’s like telepathically communicating with a kindred spirit at a loud party, as you look around and wish that you were anywhere but there. It’s an anthem for all of us introverts. So lets take a moment and dance it out from the safety of our bedrooms.