While deciding what song to review next, Buff Chiq won me over thrice: First through their name, then their cover art, and finally through their great new song “Changes”.
“Changes”, to me, stands out for the small, peppered sensibilities in ambience and voice that clearly communicate an understanding of what made the genres that inspired them stand out in their heyday. Tigers Jaw and other fourth-wave emo sounds spring to mind, mostly for those confessional and near-breakdown accompanying vocals.
The song serves as an excellent example of a sort of “amalgamation” emo, where bands take clues from various, distinct points of waves of emo and its surrounding genres to create a contemporary sound. The song would not be out of place on a movie soundtrack, which only adds to my belief that there’s a decent amount of 2000s in the mix.
The visuals that accompany the album really communicate curation, and a very careful joining of sound to visual, which, funnily enough, scream Midwestern to me. Coming from a small town, this song spoke to me for nostalgic remembrance, and the universal feeling of inevitability, be it about leaving or staying. It’s the song to put on when you’re trying to come to terms with it, and it’s got the masterful mixing that puts it at home up there with the greats. New Jersey will always be home to fantastic bands, and Buff Chiq is no exception.
Take a listen to “Changes” below.
Written by Charlotte Lacambra
