Track Review: Tinashe Shines with "Die A Little Bit"

If there is an artist that we, as a general music-consuming public, have failed this decade, it's Tinashe. This woman has been churning out nothing but quality mixtapes, albums, and music videos complete with excellent songwriting, strong vocal performances, and impressive choreography.

With "Die A Little Bit," her first release as an independent artist post-RCA, Tinashe combines elements from many subgenres of pop, dance, and R&B to create a hypnotic comeback track. The main framework of the song is a 90s house-influenced beat on which Tinashe shifts between breathy falsetto and pseudo-staccato chants. There are elements of bounce, dark pop, and rap that blend into an absolutely bewitching track. "Die A Little Bit" is about the catharsis that partying brings, and the spoken chorus gives us a slight tease of the monotony of partying despite its ability to act as an emotional release. The song's overall production and structure convey the same themes as its lyrics in a way that feels fresh. U.K. rappper, Ms Banks, delivers a brief yet impressive rap verse which offers a nice contrast to Tinashe's breathy verses and a nice complement to her chanted chorus. The only part of "Die A Little Bit" that falters is Tinashe's inclusion of a sample from a home video. The short interlude adds nothing to the song and only proves to undermine the controlled chaos that makes "Die a Little Bit" so addictive.

If the remaining tracks on Songs for You are as experimental and interesting as "Die A Little Bit," Tinashe may have yet another terrific mixtape on her hands.

Score: 75