Sabreen Islam – Count Me Out (2022)
Dating can be exciting, but there is also the potential for heartbreak and serious knocks to your confidence. This is something that Sabreen Islam considers in her single ‘Count Me Out’, which details the disillusionment that comes after being stood up on a first date. While laced with the negative impact this has on you, the single also brings a message of self-worth and empowerment that lets you know you deserve more than what you received.
The single marks the end of Islam’s pop trilogy and showcases her signature stacked harmonies and synth-driven sound. An emerging singer-songwriter, her single ‘Glow’ was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition 2020. The slick production of her sound has led to her playing at Auckland’s Others Way Festival and working with the likes of Jamie McDell.
‘Count Me Out’ uses plucked synths to grab your attention, with a ticking tone that creates the waiting of the first date. Beneath these synth ticks, the piano-driven line offers a summery feeling that is all flowers and light. This is a little at odds with the vocals in the opening verse. The ticking sound continues through to the second verse which brings a stop-start flow to the melody. As the single progresses, the melody becomes lighter and has a fun edge as Islam shakes off the negative emotions of being stood up. You can feel the infusion of empowerment and self-worth through the melody which bolsters the vocals.
The wonderful movement of the melody creates the perfect soundscape for the vocals to tell the story of the lyrics. Through the opening verse, Islam’s vocals are honest as she details waiting on a first date only to be stood up. There is a sense of disillusionment woven into this initial vocal line that turns into something more positive. From the chorus and through the rest of the track, her view of what has happened changes from sadness to a learning experience. Through the track, she shakes off the negatives and views the future with a brighter feeling, while working through the lingering emotions. It is a wonderfully empowering track that acknowledges the negatives and how they linger, only to turn them into the blocks you step up to something better.
Sabreen Islam brings the disillusionment of being stood up on a first date to the empowering and bright flow of ‘Count Me Out’. The melody is light and bright as it brings a sunny and flowery flow to the single. The vocals move from the pain of being stood up to the empowerment that comes as you work through the lingering emotions and face the world with a renewed sense of self-worth.
Find out more about Sabreen Islam on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
