No matter how many times I listen to this track, it never ceases to amaze me. Not only is “Girl” incredibly smooth, but it’s meaningful, uncomplicated, and hard hitting.
Off of The Internet’s album Ego Death, “Girl” is a sultry, trippy love song that works out of a carefully crafted outer-space soundscape. If you take a look at the visuals for the track, you’ll see that the producers cut and pasted moving images of themselves over various types of celestial backdrops. They purposefully set up the galaxy feel with shooting stars, nebulas, and constellations, all with lead vocalist Syd Tha Kyd mesmerizing listeners as she holds the spotlight. If you plan on listening to this track, be sure to check out the music video as well for the full, immersive, iconic The Internet experience.
Odd Future’s Syd Tha Kyd (or more recently Syd) and Matt Martians brought together a group of L.A. musicians in 2011 to form the R&B collective The Internet. Syd, who’s an openly gay female house engineer who now embraces the spotlight with her soulful voice, sells herself to a lover in “Girl” without any hints of pretentiousness or reservation. From someone with a tough, androgynous exterior, Syd truly surprised listeners with her infectious voice crooning to a lover so sweetly in this track. Going on to tell the girl to never settle, Syd insists that if she chooses her, “anything [she] wants is [hers]” and no earthly limits can hold their desire.
The track starts out with dreamy synths and a heavy bass line, whose enticing vibe we can, of course, accredit to Canadian producer KAYTRANADA. Known for his hip hop, funk music, KAYTRANADA adds another element of otherworldliness to “Girl” and makes me think these two were a match made in heaven. A full 7 minutes long, this track will put you in a trance with its repetitive and cyclical nature and calming effect. A bit surprising at first, this track will make you feel elevated once you get settled and transport you to the lovey, seductive world that the visuals for the track suggest. Syd floats above the track with her undeniable swagger and, when paired with KAYTRANADA’s production makes for the ultimate late-night listen.
What makes this track especially great, in my opinion though, is how it expands the traditional male-gaze that’s so concentrated in R&B music to a now female-gaze. While Syd sings of lust and desire, she essentially says that these things are universal for all sexualities and should be represented as such.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out this track as well as the rest of the album Ego Death, which features several other incredible collaborations. If you’re a fan of Tyler the Creator, Janelle Monáe, or Steve Lacy, their collabs on the album will be right up your alley too.
You can learn more about The Internet here:
About the Curator: Rhea Patil
As an 18 year old who just moved to New York City to study Music Business at NYU, I’m constantly finding myself in unfamiliar territory and have come to realize I’m not going to settle in anytime soon. So, while I’ve been exploring the city and growing from each experience, I’ve racked up a pretty extensive list of the best music I’ve come across and want to keep sharing this art with you. When I'm not discovering and sharing new music though, I'm writing and creating my own music to share with the world. In fact, I’m working on releasing my debut EP right now! If you want to know more about me or this project, connect with me on instagram!
