Just under two weeks ago, Melbourne-based James Comito—otherwise known as TRYHARD—released his latest dance-pop single ‘Slow Burn.’ When I first heard this track, I knew it would be a song that I would simply have to share with you.
From the deeply resonant theme of dealing with uncertain, unsteady romance to the summery, chill vibe that shimmers across the melody, ‘Slow Burn’ is one of those songs that you can easily envision yourself jamming to with your friends during a much-needed coastal road trip. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely feeling the urge to go on a few beachy drives, so let’s start building the perfect playlist with ‘Slow Burn.’
Straight away, we’re introduced to this catchy duality between the melody’s electronic edges and TRYHARD’s breathy silkiness; it’s a gorgeous balance of ear-catching firmness and intimate smoothness. Encircled by a relaxing, almost lo-fi-esque tempo and a carefree, unhurried rhythm, the relationship between the vocals and the instrumentals feels weightless, as if it’s suspended in the air.
This light, billowy texture that TRYHARD has poured into ‘Slow Burn’ is not only indicative of his knowledge of hooking melodies but also of his ability to connect his music to his lyrics for the sake of cohesion. When you listen to this track, you’ll hear relatable lines like ‘Lately you’ve been distant / While I’ve been breaking like the glasses in the kitchen’ and ‘Was I way off? / Did I read it all wrong? / Is our future uncertain? Were we never that strong?’
These lyrics tie into the gossamer-delicate rhythm so well because it so beautifully mirrors how it feels to not know where you stand with somebody. If you’ve ever been in that situation, you know how it feels to be caught between feeling like this person in your life could be everything you hoped for or everything you didn’t. It feels like limbo. It feels like ‘Slow Burn.’
In a similar vein, I also love how the arrangement of the instrumentation ties into the song’s title. As you progress through the track, you’ll hear the emergence of some nimble string work that seamlessly leads you back into those crisp electronic beats. I like that you initially only get snippets of the guitar after the choruses; you are slowly being fed the song’s instrumental elements, and it reinforces the heartbeat of the track’s story delightfully. It also imprints upon the track this intriguing, cinematic flair when every instrumental element joins together during the song’s conclusion.
Speaking of that conclusion, it’s everything you’d think it would be—an anticipation-ramping climb towards a spirited spill of passion from TRYHARD’s vocals. Although you’ll definitely experience a burst of energy from TRYHARD’s performance, it is not an explosive surge of vibrancy. But that works for me because TRYHARD has spent the entire song creating this narrative of slowly-paced romance. It makes perfect sense as to why there isn’t an earth-shattering show of vigour here; by the end of this tale, we are still stuck in that limbo.
‘Slow Burn’ is one of those tracks that, with every note, I can’t help but admire. You can tell that so much thought, emotion, and work went into this intelligently crafted story, and you believe that every single word carries the weight of truly experienced heartache and confusion. All I can say now is: bravo, TRYHARD, bravo!
Source: https://www.instagram.com/tryhard.wav/
ALT: Melbourne-rooted artist TRYHARD, AKA James Comito, poses with his arm raised above his head while being blanketed in extremely bright red light.
Candidly, anyone who knows me knows that dance-pop isn’t necessarily my favourite genre of music. So what was it that drew me into TRYHARD’s world of glittering pop bops? Well, for starters, TRYHARD’s brand of pop stems from his drive to combine his go-to genre with both electronic and emotional punches. Every one of his songs was born of real, genuine life experiences, and after learning of the story behind his moniker, I could not question his authenticity.
You see, James Comito created TRYHARD to counteract those who would attempt to pigeonhole him as a songwriter for other artists. Despite having a deep fondness for writing for others, it could not still his yearning to pen his own material. Thus, TRYHARD was born, and Comito has been using this persona to amplify his own style ever since. It’s thanks to this leap forward that we now have a collection of vivacious, colourful bangers like ‘Dopamine,’ ‘TOO REAL,’ and ‘Chest Pains.’
Beyond TRYHARD’s musical career, it may surprise you to know that it’s not just his passion for sonic storytelling that occupies his thoughts, but also his duties as an officiated lawyer! There’s a movie in there somewhere, no question.
What’s more, TRYHARD is an avid advocate for mental health and is determined to break the stigma that surrounds asking for help when you need it. In an interview with the female empowerment magazine Girl.com.au, TRYHARD emphasised the importance of working together to break the misconception that discussing our feelings is something to be ashamed of, especially amongst men. This is a sentiment that I strongly agree with, and it just makes me appreciate TRYHARD’s music all the more because he is using it to normalise and encourage more open conversations regarding mental health.
We’ve talked about past and present endeavours, but what about TRYHARD’s future? Well, I happen to know that it won’t be too long before we get to experience his debut EP ‘Sequel,’ an EP that has been burnished by Berlin-based producer Johannes Lemken—the very same that nurtured the creation of ‘Slow Burn.’
Speaking of which, ‘Slow Burn’ is available to listen to right now across all major streaming platforms! I’ll meet you there!
Till next time.
