whirring : if you’d have me
The debut single of indie pop duo whirring, if you’d have me threads familiar ground, treading the thin line between a heartfelt, minimalistic pop and elements that unfortunately align them with soon-to-be-dated chart-friendly sounds. At its best, it boasts a satisfyingly cathartic refrain that accompanies groovy arpeggiated synths – but at its worst, it largely sounds undercooked, with a lack of much-needed dynamics in its minimalism impeding its production from filling up its frequencies and delivering the song’s strengths in a satisfying manner. Both vocalists put on a solid performance throughout the track, with emotive yet controlled vocals that really sell the track’s lyrics, in particular it’s earnestly vulnerable chorus (“I can’t be spending all my time/ Lost in you but oh god why/ If the light hits your hair just right/ I might let my feelings show/ Can't tell how you feel but/ Plеase, if you'd have me I would gеt so close”).
Yet at the same time, the duo’s puzzling decision to sing in unison throughout the entire track without any melodic variation or harmonies is detrimental to the listening experience. Aqid Aiman’s vocals reside awkwardly on the lower mids of the track for the duration of the whole song making it feel unnecessarily tacked on. There’s a ton of enjoyment to be had in if you’d have me’s prechorus, with its gratifying arpeggiated synths leading up to a stripped down arrangement, that allows its swelling synths and punchy 808s to come dynamically crashing back in. However, even this section still lacked the overall dynamic impact that would’ve taken an already solid chorus to another level. The production on the chorus is serviceable but feels like a wasted opportunity, not fully leaning into the soaring nature of its composition.
There’s a good song in if you’d have me – but its overall underwhelming production and odd stylistic choices vocally leave much more to be desired. Given the duo’s keen musical sensibilities, there’s still tonnes of untapped potential within the project. With their overall sonic aesthetic, I’m sure it's just a matter of time before they find a more solid footing to cement their own identity within the Southeast Asian indie pop sphere.