On "Speed Freak," Youth Lagoon Demonstrates He Won't Be Slowing Down Anytime Soon - Atwood Magazine

      On “Speed Freak,” a song that depicts the artist escaping death in a mystical landscape filled with stray dogs and fast cars, Youth Lagoon asserts that his sound evolution is far from over.

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      “Speed Freak” – Youth Lagoon

      Regarding the songwriting process for “Speed Freak,” Trevor Powers of Youth Lagoon shares: “While writing, phrases like ‘stray dogs’ and ‘bullfrogs’ came to me. Later, I discovered that these words symbolize death in various cultures. I was unaware at the time, but my subconscious was guiding me there.”

      This underlying sense of premonition drives the track, which serves as the lead single from his upcoming album, Rarely Do I Dream. Powers showcases his agility, accelerating in an attempt to distance himself from death. In a surreal confrontation with his mortality, he channels that tension into a captivating, frenzied sound landscape. He recognizes that Death awaits him in Samarra, yet he continues to run.

      Rarely Do I Dream – Youth Lagoon

      The song begins with a cold, looping rhythm that supports a dense layer of heavy synths around it. It feels urgent and weighty, but when Powers’ vocals enter, they are surprisingly fragile. This apparent contrast between delicacy and heaviness creates a cinematic quality, ideal for both headphones and a club setting.

      The combination of the driving rhythm and gentle vocals evokes New Order at their most emotive: dance music infused with a sorrowful essence. Despite its reasonable length of 3.5 minutes, the song feels like it concludes too quickly. It’s both seductive and haunting.

      Stray dog, why did you come for me?

      Bullfrog, you keep me company

      Through every siren I can hear

      You make my problems disappear

      Stray dog, why did you come for me?

      Bullfrog, the engine thundering

      Through every mountain I can steer

      You make my problems disappear

      Youth Lagoon embraces the innocence of youth in ‘Rarely Do I Dream’:: OUR TAKE ::

      Released on February 21st through Fat Possum Records, Rarely Do I Dream is infused with memories of childhood, soft light, and the essence of an American upbringing filled with simplicity.

      Interspersed are clips from Powers’ family home videos. These recordings do more than just add texture; they blur the boundaries between reality and imagination, with Powers filling in the resulting gaps through dreams. The recordings are warm and crackly, providing an authentic feel because they genuinely are. The listening experience offers an almost voyeuristic glimpse into another person's childhood, leading us into someone else’s imagined memories.

      “I aimed to make someone feel as though they were in my living room in 1993, but with a slightly different arrangement,” Powers mentioned.

      This is the realm where “Speed Freak” resides. Amid a record rich with nostalgia, this track is a distinctive moment where the dream edges closer to nightmare rather than pure fantasy. Deeply rooted in Americana, it doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of American life: desolate highways, neon lights, and cars racing into oblivion. At this crossroads of light and shadow, “Speed Freak” evokes something reminiscent of David Lynch—not just through its dreamlike discomfort but also through its profound affection for a world that it refuses to idealize.

      While a dark sound suggests something lurking below the surface, the home recordings interwoven throughout Rarely Do I Dream capture a sense of tenderness, grounding the track. Similar to Lynch’s finest works, “Speed Freak” possesses a sense of wonder, even while recognizing the decay hidden underneath. The song could easily blend into the famous opening sequence of Lost Highway, encapsulating the same feverish intensity that Bowie created for the film.

      Tear me down like the dream

      In the face of my daughter

      I feel sorry

      I’m a speed freak

      Heaven knows that I’ve hurt

      Like the face in the water

      I feel sorry

      I’m a speed freak

      Heaven knows that I’ve hurt

      (Stray dog)

      Like the face in the water

      (Why did you come for me?)

      I feel sorry

      I’m a speed freak

      Youth Lagoon © Tyler T Williams

      After taking a break from Youth Lagoon for several years and confronting a health challenge that nearly cost him his voice, Trevor Powers could have chosen to slow down.

      But “Speed Freak” is not the sound of an artist retreating.

      It’s the sound of someone bravely venturing into uncharted territory, overcoming the burdens of the past.

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      :: Stream/purchase Rarely Do I Dream here ::

      :: Connect with Youth Lagoon here ::

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      “Speed Freak” – Youth Lagoon

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