Playlist of the Week: Blue Neighbourhood by Troye Sivan

I've never really been the type to listen to just one artist all throughout my day, so it's been quite a surprise to find myself listening to albums after albums for the past couple of months. I find myself in a trance almost all the time when I listen to these albums. It's as if I'm in another world. Unlike random playlists or the Top 100 charts, listening to an album feels more intimate- like you know the person singing or like the song is being sung for you. It's like you're having a conversation and a really good one. Quite frankly, who can say no to that?

BLUE NEIGHBOURHOOD is simply a conversation waiting to happen- if it hasn't happened yet, that is. Aside from its three-part music video series which made quite a buzz when it was first released, the album can definitely stand alone on its own. It is the perfect mixture of beat and sensibility. It sticks with you- and sometimes, that's all you really need. A music that makes sense and breathes life in. So before I become incredibly calculating, let's take a peak of the album itself.

Blue Neighbourhood has 16 tracks in total in its Deluxe version. Each music has its own makeup and composition. No one track sounds just like the other, although as a whole, it is still pretty coherent. It's like a fashion collection wherein each ensemble can stand on its own, but only the entirety can tell the whole story. Now, let's get down to the tracks.

Wild
"Leave this blue neighbourhood, never knew loving could hurt this good"
Wild is the first part of the Blue Neighbourhood music video series of Troye Sivan. At first encounter, it gives off a feeling of being free. The first image that came to mind when I heard this song was that moment when Charlie put up his hands at the back of the truck in the Perks of Being A Wallflower in which he said that he felt infinite. Cut it short, it's a great music if you just want to relax, have fun and let go. Wild can certainly give you a feel good chill vibe.

Bite
"Kiss me on the mouth and set me free"
Bite, on the other hand, gives off an uncomfortable and eerie feeling of being in danger. While the lyrics is like a love letter, the music itself makes me feel terrified and intrigued at the same time. For some weird reason, I can see this music playing while someone is underwater and holding their breath. It is dark, mysterious and surprisingly addicting. That's probably why I love it.

Fools
"I don't give a fuck. I'm not giving up. I still want it all."
Fools is probably one of my favorite songs - if not my favorite song- in the entire album. Aside from the fact that it keeps getting stuck in my head, the lyrics somehow makes an impression on me. It stirs up different kinds of emotion whenever I listen to it. Sometimes, it makes me happy. Sometimes, I start tearing up. As for the music, I always find myself listening to it whenever I'm out and about. The song itself will make you bop your head and close your eyes and probably imagining the universe and what the future has in store for you. Or at least, that's what I feel whenever I listen to Fools.

Ease
"And I'd never ever thought that I would say I'm afraid of the life I have made"
Ease is a song that talks about life and everything in between. In a way, it is a coming of age story of someone who wanted more out of life, but in the end, realizes that all he can ever want has been with him all along. It is somewhat like a testimony of how one can get caught up with life's distractions, and that sometimes, we just need to stop, breathe and let go.

The Quiet
"Anything hurts less than the quiet"
For some weird reason, I can see The Quiet as a background music of two lovers fighting. It may very well be because of the lyrics, but the music itself is like a perfect background music of a relationship montage- from the lovers fighting to finally making up and getting back together. While it could be the hopeless romantic in me speaking, The Quiet is a great mixture of pain and passion. It perfectly mimics the waves of emotion coming out of someone who is furious, frustrated and terribly in love at the same time.

DKLA
"Distance makes the heart grow fonder- said by someone stronger than me"
DKLA is an acronym for Don't Keep Love Around. While the song tells a story of someone who is fearful of falling in love, DKLA doesn't do much for me. I find it forgettable for some weird reason, but I always love it when it comes on. In sum, it's not a song I would go straight to whenever I decide to listen to Blue Neighbourhood, but it's a song I don't mind listening to either. I know. I'm confused myself.

Talk Me Down
"And I wanna come home to you, but home is just a room full of my safest sounds"
Whenever I listen to Talk Me Down, I always have this feeling of being in love as if I'm in the clouds and all I can think about is the person I am incredibly in love with. It gives off a feeling of warmth and limitless affection. I've held each and every word in this song as if it was a vow or a promise of some sort. In my opinion, it's the perfect song when you just want to snuggle up and get cozy- possibly lying in the couch in front of the fireplace and talking to someone you love about anything you can both come up with.

Cool
"Flashes filling the silence of a Hollywood love affair"
Cool is one of the songs you would want to listen to when you're atop a cliff and just shouting your heart out to the world. Having a few drinks with some friends and a night out with your squad, Cool is just the right combination of chill and roadtrip vibes. It makes you feel good, free and slightly awkward. Most of all, it makes you want to dance like no one's watching and just spin around like you're in one of those cliché movies that you just can't help watching over and over again.

Heaven
"Trying to embrace the picture I paint and colour me free"
While I may not be raving about Heaven, I can definitely say that it is one of the songs in the album with an incredible combination of wit and philosophy. It has a laid back feel to it which can take your mind off of things that cloud your mind. For a moment, it's a song that can make your heart ache a little and drown out the external noises probing your mind. And right there, you realize that it's not that bad after all. You only have to be yourself.

Youth
"Cause we've no time for getting old- mortal body; timeless souls"
Upon hearing Youth, I instantly felt this euphoria of some sort. There's a feeling of glee and safety. It's like all your troubles melt away because the only thing that matters is right now. And whether I admit it or not, I always have this stupid grin on my face whenever this song comes up. Youth is definitely a song to listen to when you want to leave your worries behind, concentrate on the now and have fun. Most of all, it is a song to listen to when you just want to dance and sing at the same time- by yourself, with friends or with someone you love.

Lost Boy
"I'm just a lost boy- not ready to be found"
Whether you want to go for a drive or you just want to spend the start and end of your day on a rooftop contemplating, Lost Boy is the song to listen to. It is one of the songs you would definitely sing to wholeheartedly as if you have the voice of Adele or Sam Smith. It has that pang of pain in it because of the lyrics, but the beat makes it a great song for cruising and just going around.

for him.
"You don't have to say I love you to say I love you"
for him. reminds me of the beautiful and reckless allure of young love. It sends off a feeling of being free. When you run around the neighborhood doing crazy things at night, skinny dipping and sometimes, even carving your names in the pavement because why not? for him. in a way makes me feel in love, happy and content like no one can ever come between.

Suburbia
"There's so much history in my head- the people I've left, the ones that I've kept"
When listening to Suburbia, I can imagine someone walking with a montage of this person's past and present on both sides of the road as he walks away from it. It's as if I'm in a state of constant reminiscing, remembering and forgetting. If Troye Sivan wanted to give off a feeling of nostalgia while making this song, then I would definitely say that he succeeded. It is both a sad and happy song- just like when you're remembering a happy memory, only to realize that it's only a memory now.

Too Good
"Scared my love, you'll go"
Too Good reminds me of childhood. When you jump from one stone to another in the river and you don't want to fall, but still, you know that falling won't be as bad as you think it would be. It reminds me of a child's hand, their innocence and their fragile mind. Most of all, it reminds me of their carefree laugh. It's like I'm watching my own childhood in an old ragged television from the 80s. It's weird though, because the song itself doesn't give that impression at all. On the contrary, it has a deep bass and drop to it which makes it a great music when you're looking to be in a trance- dazed and confused (as some might put it).

Blue
"Swore I'd never lose control - then I fell in love with a heart that beats so slow"
Blue starts off with a sense of danger only to fade into a state of hopelessness and defeat. As the climax builds up, you can tell that it is a song of someone who is looking for a light at the end of a tunnel. It is a story, a letter and a message. Most of all, it is a plea- for happiness, for acceptance and for love, with the feelings being reciprocated in the end.

Wild (XXYYXX Remix)
"Trying hard not to fall on my way home"
Wild (XXYYXX Remix) is a whole new dimension. Comparing it to the original version, I would say that Wild (XXYYXX Remix) is more about mimicking the message of the song into its beat and rhythms. The lyrics had less importance, but was delivered through the mix nonetheless. In total, it is a different take of the song Wild, while being just as lovely as its original version.

Illustration by Hsiao-Ron Cheng

To conclude, Blue Neigbourhood (Deluxe) by Troye Sivan is a great song when you're out and about. Whether you're at a chill party with your friends, taking the bus to work, driving to the nearest gas station or just walking down the streets of Alabama (I'm getting carried away here), Blue Neighbourhood is the perfect jam to listen to. It gives you the perfect combination of laid-back feel good chill no-worries vibe we all want when we're on a trip- be it food trip, field trip, road trip or love trip. So, have fun listening!