NEW YEAR NEW RIVER: “INFECTED MIND” IS A BOLD LOOK INTO A NEW STYLE

“Infected mind” by RIVER is a perfect transformative song that captures the current pivotal moment in her career. Coming off of her recent single, “I AM CANCER,” it’s obvious RIVER has been experimenting with a different sound, one that gives a more grungy Lorde feel. While previously enveloping herself in an upbeat indie pop sound, she is now exploring a new, experimental, explosive sound that is beautifully dark.

Right off the bat, the Swedish singer-songwriter broke her previous tradition by naming the track in lowercase, a subtle break from her all-caps titles. The track overall has heavy dreampop and shoegaze influences, with a distorted guitar that immediately leads the charge. Dark, melodic synths give this song an edge that deliberately ties into the themes of identity and reflection.

Throughout the track, RIVER confronts past traumas, repeatedly asking herself to face her history head-on. Her heartbreakingly honest pleas, layered with eruptive sounds, cement it as an epic breakthrough both lyrically and sonically. Each instrument works together openly to indulge in the dreamscape, with an epic guitar solo and airy synths that almost sound like an ambulance waiting to tend to a past life.

RIVER absolutely shines in “Infected mind,” the highlight being her fearless shift into a more ethereal production style. I would absolutely love to see more of her songs in this genre; her voice is perfectly haunting for shoegaze. This rebrand is definitely a shift in the right direction.