MÆHEM ‘Mean2u’ combines industrial sound and petty cuteness.
MÆHEM – ‘Mean2u’
‘I’m being mean to you, and I don’t know why’ is a statement that unfortunately, many of us can relate to. We’ve all had salty days – or to put it in a more nuanced fashion, we’ve all been through some kind of turmoil that expresses itself in hostility to others. It’s these petty impulses that MÆHEM taps into on her aptly titled single, ‘MEAN2U’.
MÆHEM is the project of London-based artist Miriam. Already involved in the fashion scene, she’s stepping into music, having released her debut single earlier this year.
‘MEAN2U’ is a stream-of-consciousness industrial alt-pop track, which deals with lashing out, but also with understanding and gaining confidence in oneself.
The simple lyrics seem drawn straight from a chaotic inner monologue, with the ‘I’m being mean to you and I don’t know why’ titular hook being the most memorable. They dwell on regrets over unspecified incidents, ‘I didn’t mean to’, but also seem to express defiance to an unknown opponent – ‘make sure no one knows your name’. They’re delivered in MÆHEM’s rhythmic, mostly-spoken vocals, giving the track an artsy twist.
The production goes through many phases in the track, switching up beats and feels until it resembles some strange sonic journey. But it’s centred firmly in industrial EDM land, with stuttering beats, subtle synths and distorted vocals. There are some nice melodic moments when some dreamy guitar lines are centred. This track may be a little inaccessible for those not already in the scene, but if you’re already into artists like Shygirl and Sophie, you’ll be very gratified.
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Words Eden Tredwell
