80s vibes and high school love for Sabreen Islam’s latest release Still Love You.
Sabreen Islam – Still Love You
‘You know that I’ve loved you since we were small, don’t you?’ sings the chorus of Sabreen Islam’s ‘still love you’ – and I’d bet that we all have someone in mind when we hear it. Everyone has a first love, and those memories are often the most vivid of all our sweetheart’s past, so Islam has chosen an adorably relatable subject for a song here.
Sabreen Islam is a singer-songwriter based in Auckland who’s been steadily building a solid catalogue. As well as some exposure through festivals and competitions, she also publishes poetry and has cited Hozier and Conan Gray among her influences.
‘Still love you’ is an upbeat, bittersweetly nostalgic first-love song with a hefty dose of 1980s flavour.
‘You were adored by everyone, and I would follow you just like the sun’ go the verse lyrics, telling a tale of adolescent love as old as time. The lyrics have a conversational, youthful feel to them, with some classic Americana imagery thrown in as well – ‘Found her at the bottom of the bleachers’. Islam’s sweet, clear voice and gentle harmonies take the sting out of the situation, making it gently regretful rather than painful.
The production combines modern Internet-famous singer-songwriter influence with the 1980s – think Kim Wilde meets Dodie. With its synth lines, warm synth pads, ringing guitars and sharp kick-snare drums, it sets up a groove that’s easy to get into, supporting Islam’s pretty, insistent melodies. Listeners who enjoy this track should check out Sabreen Islam’s previous singles and look out for her debut EP!
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Eden Tredwell
