Caroline Polachek’s been having quite the year, with 2023 marking several milestones for one of the best indie pop artists of today.
The ex-Chairlift vocalist’s second album, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You stands as one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year, while Polachek herself has been traveling all across the globe for a tour that’s spanned dozens of countries and various music festivals. But despite her busy schedule, it seems as if you can never separate the drive to create art from the artist –– especially in Polachek’s case.
The fruitful result of her endeavors comes in the form of “Dang” –– one of Desire’s unreleased tracks which was just released in its entirety on October 18, Philippine time.
Indicative of Polachek’s style, “Dang” continues to break the conventional mold of what makes a pop song great. Most pop hits today rely on a catchy verse intended to go viral on TikTok, but instead, Polachek takes note from visionaries like Björk, SOPHIE, and Arca to craft her own spellbinding tune.
In her case, Polachek incorporates a variety of industrial noise-induced elements such as muffled gasps, buzzing beats, brief yet blasting percussion sounds, and even a cackling coo from a baby to elicit a sense of unnerving energy. It’s no easy feat to utilize such a bizarre set of sounds in the manner that Polachek does, but her ingenious mind weaves them all together into an experimental package that simultaneously stands out and fits right into her whole discography.
Although its lyrics are quite simple and concise, the main star of the track is the unbelievable and layered production that “Dang” presents. Polachek, Cecile Believe, and constant collaborator Danny Harle’s helm on the production elevate Polachek’s willingness to take sonic risks that are true to her vision — resulting in a lush work of art that’s still an absolute earworm to listen repeatedly to.
Clocking in at 2 minutes and 45 seconds, “Dang” has the majority of its runtime (especially its chorus!) sinking its teeth into you. Indeed, even its unconventional bridge featuring Polachek’s wailing for 20 whole seconds works well surrounded by an angelic choir.
Whether or not “Dang” is a part of the rumored release of Desire’s deluxe edition, it’s nevertheless a much-welcome addition to Polachek’s discography that solidifies her status as one of pop’s most inventive minds today.
Listen to Caroline Polachek’s “Dang” in it’s entirety below: