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thatswhywemusyc · 6 years

Audio

SINGLE REVIEW: “Universe” and “Smile For Me” Matt Olo-Whaanga ft. KJ Apa

We have entered a musical period where real instrumentals, in songs, are slowly becoming a thing of that past. There’s a trend towards electronic instrumentation and rap infiltrating every single genre that has led to most artists sounding the same. Taylor Swift sounds like Katy Perry who sounds like Maroon 5, who sounds like that new boyband Why Don’t We.

It’s really easy to become jaded listening to anything popular these days, so, when an artist (or two) come along and really show musicianship, you know it’s something special.

Meet newcomers KJ Apa and Matt Olo-Whaanga. With the help of Tupa’i Keneti Apa, KJ’s father, they invent, dare I say it, an entirely new genre. It’s a little bit indie, and a lot of rock, courtesy of KJ, an electric guitar savant.

If the name KJ Apa sounds familiar, congratulations, you are caught up on pop culture. KJ plays Archie Andrews on CW’s Riverdale, but you won’t hear any of Archie’s derivative pop music here. Instead, KJ and Olo-Whaanga collaborate to bring visual lyrics to life with complex compositions.

We know that Olo-Whaanga and KJ have worked together on at least four singles. The first two feature lyrics by Timena Apa, KJ’s sister, and a wizard with words. This time, however, KJ and Olo-Whaanga took a stab at writing. While their styles are unique there is an emotional and visual undercurrent that runs through everything they release, no matter who the lyricist is.

KJ wrote both the lyrics and music to “Universe”. The song takes the listener on a journey through a combination of terror and awe. With lyrics like “The elusive sublime, the tragedy of our mind,” it’s easy to relate to, no matter what you’re going through.

Musically, the intro resembles a lot of current indie rock, but also includes an 80s rock edge. The only comparison I can kind of draw is to an up and coming DC band, Skyline Hotel. But, even then, once KJ plays the guitar solo, it’s unequivocally brand new.

Lyrically, you might see it as questioning religious beliefs with ideas about needing something bigger than ourselves to exist, running through the entire song. You might hear it as a cry for help in holding onto any sort of belief system through trying times. Or, maybe you see it as just about the idea of change in general.

A good song has to be universally relatable. Most artists do that by writing, in your face, love songs. And while there are two lines that could be talking about a romantic partner, “I know it’s hard for you to believe/ I guess you’re seeing something different to me” it’s abstract enough to not overtake the entire piece. I really appreciate that.

Now, “Smile For Me” follows the same unusual structure, actually, all their songs do. Two verses lead into a pre-chorus and then a chorus. The lyrics finish off with a word or phrase repeating throughout the instrumental section that ends the song. This isn’t an easy formula to pull off, mostly because it relies so heavily on the musical arrangement. However, that’s not a worry here. KJ’s compositional style (along with T’upai Keneti adding piano where he sees fit) is what makes this all work.

Anyway, back to this song, specifically.

Whereas KJ’s lyrics have an abstract poetic tone, Olo-Whaanga utilizes a literal style while still including the same visual and emotive elements. “Smile for Me,” as far as I can tell, follows the story of someone lying about an aspect (or aspects) of who they are and the reminder that it’s important to rely on strong relationships to get you through the pain. “I don’t wanna be the one to tell you why/ But I don’t wanna let you live a lie”

Again, this is relatable on many levels. Everyone is lying about something to someone. But it’s always important to have an outlet. A person that reminds you that you can get through the pain. And, if you don’t have that one person, maybe the song can act as a proxy.

Musically, there is an eastern tone mixed with an eerie metal instrumental. One thing that sets KJ and Olo-Whaanga apart, (if you couldn’t tell by their last names) both boys are Samoan. So, unlike many current artists, they aren’t culturally appropriating, but rather, culturally appreciating. They fashion an amalgamation of many different genres, and it just works.

Artists and musicians like these two don’t come around very often. That makes it important for journalists, like me, to point them out. I can’t wait for a full EP or album.

In an interview with GQ, KJ mentioned he has a project during the break of Riverdale. Is it selfish to hope that project is working on a full album and not a new role? Probably. Oh well, I’m gonna hope anyway. Now more than ever, we need good, unique music. KJ and Olo-Whaanga have made it clear: they deliver.

Reviewed by Ariella Laichas-Malamud

Get Connected:

KJ Apa: Twitter | Instagram

Matt Olo-Whaanga: Instagram

Universe: Spotify | Youtube | Amazon Music | iTunes

Smile For Me: Spotify | Youtube | Amazon Music | iTunes

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