“ILYSB” is a summertime single with lasting power. Vocals, feel, and production; this track was blended seamlessly to generate an impressive release. Now if only we had someone to give proper credit.

Smooth, bordering on sexy, vocals pipe cheery and playful lyrics throughout the pop splash. Half proclaiming his love and half exalting in it, this unknown and enamored vocalist provides a steady pace for this joyful love song. While the line “Slow dance these summer nights, our disco ball is my kitchen light” is clever in spite of its simplicity, a subsequent line (“I’m hella obsessed with your face”) passes with relatively little cringing. Must be just how good this song makes you feel.

As little is known of LANY, thanking the writer and singer will have to wait. Using “hella” and “mad cool” as adjectives gives us a clue that a West Coast artist was likely to deliver these lines, yet other aspects of “ILYSB” —assuredly derived from the lyric “I love you so bad”—suggest otherwise. With a name representing the largest metropolis on each North American coast and synth stabs so clean they penetrate and retreat without damaging vital arteries, we are left wondering if half of LANY doesn’t call electro-happy Brooklyn its home. Throw in the mid-tempo claps and on paper this synth-driven song with superb production imposes a decidedly East Coast origin.

Just hit play and that summer West Coast feel washes back over you. As a warm and fuzzy love song we can reach for in any season without longing for the beach, “ILYSB” favors a broad audience. Alternatively, we may long for the group’s identity, but the mystery is forgotten when restarting the track causes bold synth stabs to quickly rush back into your life.

About The Author

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A Madison native and UW graduate, Chris Kraemer lives and breathes between Monona and Mendota. His passion for experiencing an album in its entirety helps him feel at home while frequently apart from his beloved isthmus.