Wow, this song is C L E A N. From the offset of Flora Summers’ new single “Little While Longer“, the listener is home in a sea of melancholy ambience. That said, it doesn’t take long for that first snare to crack and get the head bobbing and the feet moving to this dreamy indie-pop excursion.
One could expect this level of pop excellence from a Swede. The drums are perfectly crisp and punchy, presenting a classic beat with an upbeat hi-hat at the end of every measure of the verse to keep a cyclical, catchy motion. There are so many layers in the verse from pads, stabby synths, droning notes, and not to mention Summers‘ beautiful and airy vocals. These vocals are truly the star of the show, and rightfully so. There is something so saccharine and homey about the Summers’ vocal timbre.
The chorus is as euphoric as one could hope for, but there is a message in longing, loneliness, and desperate romantic tenacity being conveyed here. One might parse that out with the title, but it’s made evident with lines in the chorus like “We’re losing touch and I can’t, I really can’t give you up yet”. These relatable and heartwrenching lyrics are emphasized by layers upon layers of harmony and double-tracked vocals. The meaning of the song is not muddled in all these layers, and is only accentuated.
Not a note is out of place or a texture too far in space on “Little While Longer“. It’s a completely pleasant listen, and is easily loopable. While writing this, I played it 4 times and I think I might go back for another right now. Once you pop, you can’t stop.
