Review by Emily Smith
You can imagine how the idea of floating out in space might be relaxing to some. There’s no weight pulling down on you, and all there is to do is stare at the planets, stars, and other wonders of the galaxy. It would be quite a sight. That is the image that the listener gets when listening to the latest single from Seattle hip-hop/R&B artist Casper Jones, “Jupiter.” After releasing his previous single “Photosynthesis,” Casper Jones is back with a spacey sound that takes the listener on a journey through the solar system.
The atmospheric guitar chords that are strummed throughout the track shape the spacey vibe of the song. They’re mellow and reminiscent of some slower California surf rock, which enhances the theme throughout the song of wanting to get away from reality for a while, almost like a vacation. After all, vacation and relaxation are themes that are at the center of a lot of surf rock. There might even be a slight nod to the beachy themes of the genre in the lyrics since the second verse references a beach: “I can tell she into me/ We posted on the beach….”
The entire song is basically structured around these mellow chords. At the beginning of the song, it is only these guitar chords that play, with some accompaniment by Jones’ vocals. After that introduction, the beat drops and then immediately shoots back up, transitioning to the verses. The verses are a mix of a pounding beat and these atmospheric guitars. It is an intoxicating wash of sound that manages to maintain the vibe that it started with.
Not only do the instrumentation and the beat give off that chill, spacey vibe, but the lyrics also do the same, as they are packed with references to space. The lyrics are about wanting to get away with someone, and how being alone with them and away from the rest of the world is the best feeling. This is especially expressed in the lyrics “I’m not worried ‘bout no galaxy/ ‘Cause I just wanna vibe with you/ It’s getting hard to breathe out here/ But I still feel alive with you.” He just wants to have that one person to get away with, which he expresses as he sings, “I’m looking for my astronaut.”
Jones also adds in a little wordplay to emphasize the whole theme of space in the song. For instance, he sings in the chorus, “Baby maybe what we need is just a little bit of space now,” with “space” meaning both some time away from reality and the universe. Another lyric with some wordplay is “For real I think this gravity I’m in is bringing me down,” in which “bringing me down” refers to bringing him down in an emotional sense and in a scientific one.
“Jupiter” is a track that is perfect to play on a day off, when you want to take a break from everything and feel like you’re floating through space should not be missed!
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