Xtelaviv ft Stewart Hidalgo – Sad Girl (2022)
With their single ‘Sad Girl’, xtelaviv draw us into a catchy introspective look at coming out of a relationship. As the single touches on the end of the relationship, it slides into a contemplation over what went wrong and coming to terms with this. A wonderful slice-of-life single, the ache of heartbreak and the run of thoughts through the lyrics are perfectly paired with the sound of the band.
Placing a catchy hook over a rather driving groove, the single brings a flash of Latin pop to some lo-fi indie pop vibes. This fusion of sound highlights the strengths of the two artists behind the music, xtelaviv (Gabriel Benitez) and Stewart Hidalgo. The duo came together after working at studios around LA and share similar musical interests that have naturally made their way into their sound.
The high tones that open ‘Sad Girl’ have a slightly reflective touch to them. The floating vibe that they create drops wonderfully for the foot-tapping beat of the drums that brings the first injection of groove to the sound. As the single progresses, the moving vibes of the track build until it is impossible to ignore them and you have to move to their flow. There is a forward momentum to the music that takes you to a dip in sound halfway through the track. This is a melody that has perfectly taken the best elements of different pop styles and moulded them into a flow that is quite addictive. While infectious in its grooves, there is something about the layering that is unique to the duo and creates a light hazy touch to the edges of the track.
As the melody catches you in the groovy yet delicately hazy touch, the vocals draw you into the reflections of the lyrics with a slightly intangible touch. When they enter, the vocals swirl around the music like coloured smoke. While the vocals are primarily in Spanish, you can hear the contemplative vibes woven into the delivery. Halfway through the track, there is an injection of English lyrics that strangely doesn’t seem at all out of place, before you slide back into Spanish. The bilingual touch of the single is interesting and helps to transcend any language barriers. The emotive flow of xtelaviv’s vocals also helps with this as he infuses his confusion about what has happened, the pain of heartache and the understanding that he needs to move on, into each word. It is a wonderfully emotive performance that tugs at your heartstrings.
Through the wonderfully layered sounds of ‘Sad Girl’, xtelaviv and Stewart Hidalgo infuse emotional depths into a sound that has you moving to its rhythm. The duo first catch you in their web with the foot-tapping vibes of the melody that flows into a dip, before getting you firmly addicted to the sound. While the vocals are primarily in Spanish, the emotion that has been threaded into each word brings the reflective feeling of the single to life.
Find out more about xtelaviv on his website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
Find out more about Stewart Hidalgo on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
