ARXIVN titles his latest release ambiguously. Is ‘86’ a reference to a birth year? A particularly good year of music? (Peter Gabriel’s ‘Sledgehammer’ will live in my brain forever.) Or perhaps it’s the slang term for getting rid of someone, kicking someone out – if so, the song becomes more ominous, the narrator’s lover is on thinner ice than we’d thought. Still, it’s a pleasingly ambient track with that sad-boy autotune style that we can’t get enough of.
ARXIVN ’86
ARXIVN is a Kosovo born, London based indie-trap and alternative hip hop artist. This latest single comes from an upcoming EP with another ambiguous title, ‘Magenta Leviathan’, due in spring 2022.
‘86’ is a haunting yet low-key hip-hop track, with a stream-of-consciousness style.
The lyrics are repetitively reassuring as ARXIVN asks for patience and understanding in his relationship – ‘Take your time, have patience with me’ – although the sweetness of the sentiment is undermined by the moody minor melodies, hinting and darkness beneath. The echoing vocals suggest distance, despite the assurance that ‘We’re speaking truth’, it feels like it could be a message from some ghost, or unavailable love.
The production sits firmly in the melancholy trap Drake-esque zone, with heartbeat drums and swishing synths. This is a track you put on for the vibes, and it could easily sit in the background of some edgy teen drama. ARXIVN’s production is confident, and the writing hints at a darker identity which I would be interested to see more of. But it’s an easy-to-listen-to track with an overwhelming ambience.
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Words Eden Tredwell
