Troye Sivan, a seasoned veteran in seamlessly intertwining his personal journey of sexuality with infectious house beats, once again delivered a captivating musical experience with his third studio album, “Something To Give Each Other.”
This collection of vibrant pop songs is a roller coaster ride that takes listeners through the realms of late-night desire and occasional introspective moments, all wrapped up in a libidinous, pulsating landscape.
The album kicks off with the electrifying lead single titled “Rush,” a track that hits with the intensity of a pop-fueled adrenaline rush, pun intended. “Rush” is the epitome of a gay club in New York City on a Friday night, with people sniffing poppers left and right. This is culture.
The late-night house beat wave Sivan has clung to for this album shows progress in his discography – taking what’s rightfully his.
Following the success of “Rush,” Sivan doesn’t miss a beat with his subsequent single, “Got Me Started.” The music video maintains a similar vibe to its predecessor’s, combining infectious dance numbers, a delicious display of skin-on-skin lust and some bare buttocks.
Sivan’s ability to seamlessly blend provocative themes with catchy beats is commendable, and he creates an irresistible sonic experience that is both alluring and empowering.
In “Got Me Started,” a recognizable melody unfolds, with its infectious rhythm beckoning the listener to the dance floor. The incorporation of a sample from the Bag Raiders’ iconic “Shooting Stars” not only infuses the track with a nostalgic charm and wit, but it also underscores Sivan’s commitment to crafting a dance-centric album.
In his third single, “One Of Your Girls,” Sivan delves deeper into his yearning and desperation for a straight man. Making his plea, he encourages the object of his desire not to hesitate in crossing over a bit, assuring that Sivan can embody the essence of any other girl.
Although the singles were huge standouts for Sivan, the accompanying tracks follow the lead of their superiors with chants of yearning and late night horniness.
The second track of the album, “What’s The Time Where You Are?” expresses Sivan’s deep devotion and yearning for the subject of his affection. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, he wonders, “Is it better where you are?” He dreams of bridging the distance created by international boundaries to be closer.
In a recent interview with Genius, a popular music encyclopedia publication, Sivan gushes over the inspiration for this specific track.
“I was messaging with this guy and one of us said, ‘What’s the time where you are?'” he said. “It was something that could have been easily Googled but clearly it was an attempt at making that connection more than an actual question. You want to keep the conversation going, and it felt so sweet and innocent and endearing to me – those [are] very early phases of starting to have feelings for someone.”
Sivan aimed to convey to listeners that the album brims with the exhilarating sensation of the initial stages of infatuation — a euphoric, electric moment that follows a prolonged period of emotional numbness. He shared that, following a breakup, he had doubted his ability to experience those feelings once more for some time.
Lyrics like “gotta rewire my desire, getting me higher” from the song “Silly” and “I see sex in every city” from the track “Honey” both showcase the everlasting tune of desire in this album. In fact, Sivan said the line from “Honey” about “seeing love in every space” is the main mission statement of the album as a whole.
This album is an instant classic for me — an album that I would plead and beg the DJ to play at the local bar, only for them to instead play a less-than creative and overdone song like “Hotel Room Service” by Pitbull.
Sivan’s older music has aged gracefully, and his discography as a whole shows a journey of growing up, being sexual, being sad and, honestly, being horny: the human experience in a nutshell.
Grace Clarke is Opinion Editor. Contact her at [email protected].
