Loser - castle
Loser is an underground rapper similar in sound to artists associated with the Internet Money collective. Currently sitting at just under 60,000 monthly listeners, Loser’s discography holds two songs with over two million streams: “Back to Bad” and “If I Could Do It Again”. Loser’s newest release in his growing catalog is a song titled “castle”.
A fast paced drum pattern keeps the listener on their feet. Strangely, the instrument recalls similarities to a video game chase seen, and yet it makes sense within context of the song. High energy throughout creates an undeniable atmosphere that deserves played from a loud speaker.
The short song retains a simple structure of chorus verse chorus. Meanwhile beat break downs followed by soft cuts help establish the song structure further.
Sonically Loser’s music is upbeat, emotional charged hip-hop. “Castle” is no exception holding strong to the formula that has helped establish his name in the underground music scene. The first line of the chorus being: “what’s there to smile about?”.
Being in his 20’s, Loser is in a pivotal moment in his life. Some friends fade to strangers, while some strangers grow to be family. Life is a splintered path, whose options grow louder during your twenties. A group of people can have vastly different lives. Whether dying young, becoming a parent, graduating college or working a 9-5 job; no one person has the answer to fulfill your purpose.
Existential dread is littered throughout the lyrics in “castle”. Loser also poetically describes the feeling of decay despite perseverance. Anyone who struggles with motivation has had their heart sink when met with failure during a brief moment of self belief.
Loser encapsulates this sentiment with the lyrics: “I tried to smell the roses. But all I got was a mouth of thorns and some bloody noses.”
Self identity is also touched on at the end of the song’s verse. The downside of an overwhelming number of life paths, can be feeling you are never living your truest life. This idea tied with emotional baggage and trauma can lead a person to feeling like they don’t know themselves. Even the most level headed person can feel this way as societal influences can weigh down on a lost soul.
These heavy themes are touched on briefly with lyrics such as: “and if I knew what to do, I would do it myself. It’s been almost 21 years and I’m not used to myself.”
“Castle” is an upbeat, sad song about Loser’s emotional and mental state during the transition of adulthood.
