Genre has never seemed to hold back rising new wave star Midwxst. With a knack for blending sounds, the Indiana-based singer-rapper continues to define his presence as one of the underground’s glistening voices — unbound by genre through and through.
From rage production, pop ballads and electro-injected cuts, the hyperpop phenom toes the line of hip-hop on every track he touches. With his third single following his Fall EP Back In Action, Midwxst isn’t “Bluffing” about making it to the top, dropping his latest single and visual Wednesday (Dec. 8).
“Bluffing” exists as an electro-funk ballad with Midwxst flexing his singing prowess at every turn. With heavy vocal stacks, high-pitched vibratos and midwxst’s trademark flow, “Bluffing” is perhaps his most infectious track yet — offering a more pop-orientated sound than his previous rage and hyperpop bangers.
Finger-picked strings, flourishing keys and waning orchestra strings push the track forward, as each melody beautifully cascades into the next. Funk-infused percussion and distorted 808s provide a groove to the track initimable from Midwxst’s previous work, as he speaks on lust, anxiety and fear of reciprocity of love.
Midwxst details the plights of past heartbreaks, saying he’s “tired of loving” when confronting his current love interest. Revealing that he’s “bluffing” about his feelings, the teen singer is remiss to allow himself to fully love again, yet, he displays a sense of uncertainty in his songwriting — mixing teen angst and lustful thinking to convey his emotions.
My anxiety’s on ten
I’ve been losing all my friends
I don’t want this shit to end
Don’t want this to be [?] but
It’s been really hard to think, it’s really hard to open up
I didn’t ever think I’d find the person that I’d fall in love with
And I don’t understand, but (One, two)
I don’t wanna play pretend now
Midwxst — “Bluffing”
This is Midwxst’s third single in the last four weeks — previously dropping “Care” (Nov. 12) and “Shame” (Nov. 23) — stemming from his eclectic September project Back In Action. The 8-track project features the likes of new wave peers in KA$HDAMI, Slump6s, ericdoa and BabySantana. Asserting himself as an important voice in this revitalized era of young talent, midwxst continues to seperate himself from the pack time and time again.
While Midwxst’s talent for creating catchy tracks is impossible to miss, “Bluffing” may be his most encapsulating offering to date.
Listen to “Bluffing” below!
