When “Mona Lisa” first introduced a new era of mxmtoon shenanigans, I knew from the moment I heard that song that I was going to love the album. Lo and behold, I am yet again a massive fan of her latest LP, rising. I saw her in concert the day after this album dropped, and it made all the AP exams and finals clawing at me for the entire month of May disappear for a few hours (it also didn’t hurt that Chloe Moriondo was a great opener).
Though I’ve mentioned it previously in other articles featuring my opinion on mxmtoon, I’d like to add for context that she was one of the instrumental in my realization of the fact that I am not straight, so I may be incredibly biased in the lens of her being one of the most beautiful people on the planet. Don’t act like you aren’t influenced by someone’s face when you consume their media (I won’t lie, if anyone else but Harry Styles dropped the song “Cinema,” I would make fun of it).
At least in the case of mxmtoon, it only adds to her appeal since I genuinely do love her music, so don’t worry, I am a trusted, unbiased source of input on the incredibly gorgeous, talented, show-stopping, iconic mxmtoon that if she were to ever find this article a restraining order would be placed on me and I would just be happy that she knows that I exist.
- Scales
I don’t know what it is about this song but it’s like coolant for my little brain goblin. I’ve always related to the struggle of finding balance in many things, and it’s a driving force of my personal experience of growing up so far. Because this album revolves around revelations on getting older, it’s nice to find a song that mirrors my own difficulty in finding the ability to establish equilibrium in my life (but with a danceable beat).
Though I know that patience will result in resolution for most of my teenage woes, being a young adult is defined by the experience of having no concept of balance at all. It’s the source of slammed doors, heavy eye makeup with eyes underneath that roll way too much, and the feeling of invincibility that comes with the wonderful imbalance of being a young person, and it’s an aspect of growing up that isn’t often touched on in music. As a menace sponsored by Prozac, this song is easily my favorite and a unique takeaway from musings on growing up.
- Mona Lisa
This song is for secret little dancing that you can’t help but succumb to wherever you listen to it. I love this spot of sunshine so dearly and love that it’s still a little melancholy and hopeful throughout the verses. The way the melody builds and releases over and over until the tension is broken by the chorus is so addicting. I’m also a hopeless romantic that loves to write, so this song was without a doubt written with me in mind and not at all based on her personal experiences. This is my song and you can’t have it! But you should still listen to it.
- Haze
“Haze” is a bit more emotional for those that like for their crying seshes to have a beautiful soundtrack, so it’s perfect for crying in the car after you failed a test and are waiting for the person at Starbucks to give you your fourth peppermint hot chocolate of the week despite the fact that it’s only Tuesday and you studied for several hours while you think about a time in the future where you wouldn’t have to take math classes. Or something. It’s not like that’s what I did, it’s just a suggestion. My antics aside, it’s a gorgeous song with fantastic pacing and rhythm that I highly recommend!
- Florida
I wish I could say I did anything more sob grossly when I listened to this song for the first time, but alas, that is exactly what I did. It’s a beautiful tribute to the people that are precious to you and it’s already one of my favorite songs of hers ever (which is saying a lot considering all of her songs are my personal faves). Her music has such palpable sincerity, though the care that went into the emotional melody and the gorgeous keys make this song so unique to me that I just want to hold it close to my chest whenever I hear it. Whenever you listen to it, make sure to give a loved one a hug!
- Learn to love you
I understand the relatability of sad girl pop and delve into it often; however, as someone that is constantly suffering from various mental illnesses, sometimes I want a break. That take seems lukewarm, but trust me, if you know what’s hip/what’s cool/what’s trendy in school, you listen to earth-shatteringly tragic music 24/7. I personally like to think I’ve got the 411 on what the kids are getting jiggy to these days, but I need to not listen to sad music all of the time. Like maybe 20% of the time, but any more than that and it’s going to wear away at my medication. Thank god someone made some decent happy/self-love music that isn’t reminiscent of 2014 and was produced by the Chainsmokers. Mxmtoon has such a magic hand with harmonies and combined with the upbeat message of the song, it’s a chill but smile-inducing track about self-confidence that I think will make your day.
- Coming of age
I love this song. I love this song. I love this song. Oh my god, I love this song. It’s unbelievably catchy to the point where I am insufferable when introduced to even a note of this song is played within a square mile of me because I will never stop singing it (ask my sister, she’s my main victim). I adore this idea of saying goodbye to the ‘coming of age’ part of your life and beginning to get to know and accept the new older self that you’ve become. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a sad process, and this song highlights the fact it’s healthy to embrace the fact that you change as you get older with super fun lyrics and production.
- Dance (end of the world)
I love that this song feels like a credit scene in an early 2000s rom-com for young adults (Ella Enchanted, Bring It On, etc.), like the credits would run alongside a dance montage of the main cast with cheesy smiles and bloopers. It’s perfect. Mxmtoon’s melodies are inventive and easy to participate in for listeners (a trait often neglected as beneficial in indie pop), allowing for this song and her other catchy tunes to be relentless earworms filled with gorgeous vocals.
- Victim of nostalgia
This song is so summery and textured in nostalgic strings that it feels like sunlight through a linen sheet. I love her lower register in the verses of this song because it makes it feel a bit moodier and more adolescent, only for her to then raise her register for the reminiscence of her memories as an adult. It’s almost like the song is built around a wistful sigh as the song diffuses again and again, and the song is merely a trophy of her songwriting proficiency.
- Dizzy
“Dizzy” takes the common frustration of feeling too young for your age and turns it into a melancholy observation on the superficiality that adulthood often entails. The lyricism in this song veers toward both interpersonal connection and vulnerability, a combination featuring self-awareness that often makes the work appear contradictory; instead, she manages to aptly acknowledge the confusion of growing up and the irrationality of having patience for others but not yourself. If you’re ever frustrated because you feel like everyone around you read some manual about how to be a certain age, this song is for you.
- Sad disco
I wish I had a ton to say about this song, but what I have to say is complementary and appreciative! It’s a super fun song meant for dancing in your room with whatever microphone you can find and was a perfect single for bringing in a new mxmtoon era that encourages not taking yourself too seriously. I love the aesthetic of the song and the production is masterful as always. I love the vocoder layers that help build through the verses and the release of synths once you enter the chorus– overall, it makes for an excellent dance party song and is a total crowd pleaser.
- Growing pains / Haze / Frown
I like both of these songs equally and am therefore placing them together. Some call it laziness but I call it efficiency. “Growing pains” and “frown” are fun, flirty, fresh, fruity, and fun again, and I would totally name these crowd pleasers (just not as much as “sad disco” since that one is so much fun to dance alone to).
***
Despite the fact that there are numbers next to the titles of the songs, I truly love all of these songs so much and I don’t know if the numbers even mean anything because they’re all my favorites depending on my mood. This album was so worth the wait and I super recommend it for fans of pop/indie pop artists like Wallows, Gracie Abrams, Alix Page, or Taylor Swift. As long as mxmtoon keeps making music, I will continue to be insufferable and in love with her and both seem to be continuous afflictions to society for as long as the eye can see. For that I apologize and ask you to accept my apology in the form of listening to rising. Happy listening!