In a time when the lines between different genres are blurrier than ever, perhaps no one has shown the creative potential of these new frontiers than Jane Remover. First gaining prominence in the early 2020s in the burgeoning hyperpop scene, she’s already gone through more stylistic shifts than most artists will go through in their entire careers. Whether it be the chaotic sampling and rapid-fire club rhythms of her Dariacore series, the glitch-pop coming-of-age story that is her debut album Frailty, or the harrowing shoegaze of her sophomore effort Census Designated, any style she tries her hand at proves to be a fruitful new endeavor for her. To me, she’s something of a musical alchemist; effortlessly blending different genre conventions into intoxicating mixtures that are always uniquely hers.
Of course, the question still remains: when you’ve already covered so many diverse styles in such a short timespan, is it even possible to have more tricks up your sleeve? If “Magic I Want U” is any indication, then there’s no doubt that Jane is more than capable of still surprising in the best way possible.
“Magic I Want U” is the second single released by Jane Remover while she’s been on tour opening for the similarly eclectic underground rap icon, JPEGMAFIA. Her previous single, “Flash In The Pan,” smashed ethereal dream pop — à la Slowdive — into the bouncy hi-hats and stomps of recent developments in New York drill. This combination should’ve been completely incoherent, but Jane’s sonic wizardry somehow makes it work. While the sounds that “Magic I Want U” are pulling from aren’t quite as distant, the effect is just as strong, if not stronger.
After the repeating, ringing triangle opens the track, you’re met with the driving alt-rock riff and hypnotic breakbeats that make up the body of “Magic I Want U.” This mixture harkens back to Odelay-era Beck and other similar alternative electronica hip-hop crossovers of the ‘90s, albeit with a contemporary sheen. In the background, the sound of fireworks going off intertwines with record scratches and vocal snippets, creating an overall effect that is — as the title would suggest — magical, easily drawing the listener into a trance-like state.
The spell-binding nature of the song is only heightened once Jane joins the track vocally; sounding straight out of a classic 2000s pop/R&B hit. She radiates equal parts confidence and desperation, creating an uneasy conflict that matches the surreal sonic world that she’s created. The lyrics deal with common themes of romantic longing, but they are tinted with enough of the abstraction and urgency that’s characteristic of Jane’s songwriting to fully pull the listener into the world of the song.
“I think I’m getting down with something /
‘Cause when I’m playing I just want you around /
It’s been so long since you said you love it /
I’m the missing piece that you want to write about.”
Never content to let a musical idea overstay its welcome, Jane Remover evolves the initially basic structure of the song into something with a cinematic level of drama. The rhythm section is almost constantly changing, often going from frantic breaks to stripped-back, half-time grooves within the same verse. Additional guitars and keys are added to further propel the song along, providing even more ear candy than was already present. Later on, a deep voice joins the track, repeating the phrase, “Can you feel that?” throughout various breakdowns. For me, the answer to that question is almost always a resounding yes.
Just when you think the song has shown you everything it has to offer, “Magic I Want U” pulls the rug out from under you one final time. The sampled drum loops are replaced with equally danceable drum machines, and Jane delivers a coda that acts a final cry of infatuation to the subject of the song.
“I like the way he use his hands and his words /
I could be his new favorite think piece favorite girl /
Anything to tell me that I’m your number one /
‘Cause I’ll be your groupie baby.”
Jane Remover’s constant artistic metamorphosis has made her one of the artists I’ve paid the most attention to throughout the decade, and “Magic I Want U” feels like the culmination of everything she’s done so far and more. It’s a near-perfect piece of pop bliss that seems to reveal itself more and more to me with each listen. Whether she continues down the path laid by this song or not, the sky’s almost certainly the limit for what she can accomplish.
