Mitski Sparks Creativity in New Song, “Two Slow Dancers”

I recently came across an interesting artist while perusing a Spotify playlist. Her name is Mitski, and she is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter.

When Mitski was young, she moved from country to country because of her dad’s work, until finally landing in New York. Her music draws from indie rock and electronic styles. However, you can clearly hear her roots shining through, especially in her new song, “Two Slow Dancers.”

“Two Slow Dancers” is a love ballad that serves as a tribute to her youth. The song starts off with a beautifully relatable line, where she sings, “Does it smell like a school gymnasium in here? It’s funny how they’re all the same.”

The slow, persistent chords played by the synth in the background echos her elegant voice. After the chorus, she builds on a triad played by synth strings until a thick texture is created. Then, she goes back to the soothing melody from the beginning.

One thing I like about this song is that you don’t know where it is going and it could really go anywhere. Near the end of the song, she builds up the tension again before abruptly cutting out all the instruments and leaving just the vocals.

The song has a ghostly mood to it. Through the empty, repeated synth chords and calm, and somewhat interstellar atmosphere, she creates an emotion of wonder in the listener.

Listen to “Two Slow Dancers”: