Robots In Love Deal With Obsession in "Cease and Desist"
Robots In Love are back with a new single, bringing out their classic blend of electronic and heavy rock, but this one has an additional sort of almost industrial undertone to it. I think it has a lot to do with the beat of the track and how it opens up a little bit during those verses so that you can really pull in the lyrics.
They're utilizing some crazy synthesizers throughout this one. That also builds on the slight industrial or even electronic element. This is nothing new for them.
They always have amazing synth and keyboard work throughout their releases, and it blends with brutally heavy guitars and tuned-down riffs that just feel uprooted from the ground.
The guitars throughout this track are rumbling. They hit super hard, but also have that hint of late '90s or early 2000s radio alternative backbone to them as well.
To me, growing up during that time, this is a very radio-friendly single. It's not just heavy or industrial; it's catchy as well.
This is a band that always keeps that element in mind. I wouldn't say it's pop sensibility, per se, but it really has the tendency to stick with you.
They are always thinking about how to keep things a little catchy. They do it with this track by way of having the verses really bounce rhythmically.
You have live percussion during those verses, and the guitars are more stripped down. You have a bass line, but a lot of what you're hearing during those verses are synthesizers.
Once again, this leaves the right kind of space for the vocalist to really get into it. And she does exactly that.
She lays out attitude-riddled approaches that have a bit of swagger to them. It's edgy and indeed quite alternative.
What's important here is that she keeps that balance alive. Her energy level and sort of fierce approach in terms of that attitude match the tonality of the instruments.
This is super important because having the synergy between everyone really keeps the song flowing.
During those verses, she also has great lyrical phrasing so that the words bounce between those beats amazingly.
You can tell she's really getting into it and did an amazing job, in my opinion, especially of writing lyrics that let her take that approach. She wrote lyrics that she knew she could bounce between those beats the proper way and give the right kind of attitude by doing so.
You can tell a lot of attention to detail was paid here. There was plenty of thought that went into the lyrics and how they would be displayed in the song.
When the chorus hits, everything sort of opens up, which is another classic attribute of Robots In Love.
You have sort of wild vocal harmonies that feel almost endless and widespread.
So she gets totally free during those choruses and opens up.
Of course, those guitars do as well. The guitar comes bursting in with that heavy riff, although it is very melodically driving. The melody and riff that's delivered guitar-wise is intense and certainly adds that climactic kind of energy for the chorus to be huge.
This band is not afraid to get heavy. They do so still with a little bit of that radio friendliness in mind. But believe me when I tell you, they hit it hard, and the tones are thick, rolling, a bit thrashy, and still have this element of spaciousness underneath everything.
The vast or spacious attribute doesn't just come from the guitars, but also the synths and how everything is put together in general.
There is space underneath everything you're hearing. You can feel the depth of the track.
The drumming is outstanding as well, but it's also about the mix. That snare drum just slices through everything and adds a huge bang to the song.
Whoever makes this track absolutely knew the mission. They knew exactly how to balance things and bring certain instrumentation to the forefront at just the right times so that the song came through with massive punch.
That's exactly how songs like this are supposed to come through. They're supposed to hit hard.
The song is called "Cease and Desist," something you might expect as something you're taking a liking to quickly becomes a bit of an obsession.
So it's really about taking things too far and not knowing how to stop that obsession.
The textural combination between the guitars and the synthesizers, bass guitar, vocals, and drums all give you something pretty special.
It's got a sonic frequency that's all its own, in a way.
I would definitely turn this up when you listen to it. It's meant to be heard at a nice, good volume level.
Listening to the track also makes you want to go see the band live. Again, the energy is just infectious.
So, stop reading and start listening. Dive into this new single from Robots In Love, and if you dig it, which I'm sure you will, dip through their back catalog.
Remember where you heard it all first.
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