Review: "Concrete Over Water" by Jockstrap

Single

Artist: Jockstrap

Sub-genres: #alternative #indie #electronic #hyperpop #pop

Label: Rough Trade Records

When buying perfume a couple of years ago, I kept trying to make connections with other scents in my memory. The lady selling the perfume then told me I shouldn’t try to do that.

“Don’t do that. Just smell it. How does it make you feel?” she said.

At first I was taken aback but then I realized she was right. Trying to relate one scent to another sometimes diminishes the uniqueness of the initial scent.

“Concrete Over Water” by London-based pop duo Jockstrap, consisting of Georgina Ellery and Taylor Skye, is one of those songs that should be taken on its own. Trying to relate it to anything else would be a waste of time.

The single is 6 minutes 33 seconds long but is audibly broken up into clear sections. The highs and lows of the song are unique and powerful, some more pared-down others rich and layered. One of my personal favorite portions of the song is the chorus which features the ethereal vocals of Ellery atop a barking choir. Taken altogether, it sounds like a mini-hyperpop opera.

If you want to feel like you’re listening to a Skins UK reboot soundtrack or just lost in an unfamiliar big city in the best way, this song is for you. It’s dizzying and calm at the same time, like concrete over water.

Also, side note, if you have a dog, they may bark near the chorus when the choir comes in. Mine did at least.