REVIEW: '21 Min Drive' by Taylor Tote
When I first came across Taylor Tote, I was reviewing the song "Lowkey Stressed". That was about two weeks ago, and the hook has not left my head since. Having been blown away by her 'Stevie-Nicks-meets-Dua-Lipa' energy, I was beyond stoked to review the entire new EP, '21 Min Drive'. Stylistically, each song creates a unique blend of contemporary pop, dance, electronic, and R&B, but the EP's real power seems to come from Taylor's honesty as a songwriter. While the fusion of genres sets a unique scene, Taylor excels at pulling you into her world of insecurities, and then somehow, we encounter resolve together.
She previously told us in a Q&A that the concepts and melodies for this EP all came pretty quickly, but it was the lyrics that took the most time. "I don't think I was ready to channel those feelings just yet. I knew exactly what I wanted to say but didn't know how to." - Taylor Tote.
MORE: Q&A with Taylor Tote
Through working with producer and friend Russell Hayden, the magic of this EP seems to have been capturing these songs at precisely the right moment in time. In the pursuit of perfectionism, songs can often become overthought and overproduced and subsequently lose their initial meaning, but despite producing the whole of the EP over zoom, Tote and Hayden have not fallen into this trap at all. '21 Min Drive' has achieved raw emotional energy and musical perfectionism, making it an immensely relatable, meaningful, and catchy EP.
A prime example of this is the opening track "Selfish". This song kicks off with an irresistibly chilled-out groove, very reminiscent of Daft Punk's production for The Weeknd. Taylor sings: "A thousand missed calls, From me and you're MIA, Thinkin' bout it but I can't explain, Probably off with your friends again. That girl that you're obsessed with now doesn't know the half of it. Does she know what happened?"
On first listen, you'd assume she wrote this song about a decaying romantic relationship. Tote confirmed that it was initially penned about a stagnating friendship and simply learning when to let go.
Taylor's vocals' emotion really hit home on the third pre-chorus, where the majority of the production and instrumentation falls away, and we are left with just Tote and the words above. A real strength in all of Taylor's music is that, regardless of what she intended the lyrics to mean, it's generally so easy to relate to at least something in her words.
On this EP, Russell seems to have extended Taylor's vision perfectly. Tote told us that he helped her reach outside of her comfort zone to genres that were previously far beyond her scope. She says, "Sticking to one thing is so dull to me. I'm fascinated by so many different music styles, and I just want to try them all."
The first track was a world of moody disco grooves; on track 2, "Lowkey Stressed", we find ourselves thrown into a major pop anthem, and it is clear there is no limit to Tote's musical ambition. Good luck getting this hook out of your head. It'll be there for weeks, trust me.
MORE: REVIEW: “Lowkey Stressed” by Taylor Tote
The third song on the EP, "Atypical", is about finding your confidence and believing in yourself even when you don't see a space for yourself in society. Taylor has spoken to us about such insecurities before:
"After my 25th birthday, I definitely felt like I had grown a lot as a person and had a voice to offer." What's powerful about this song is that, while the theme is about insecurities and fitting in, the vocal performance is anything but insecure or unsure. The production takes a backseat, the pre-chorus creates a thrilling tension, and then the chorus becomes such a beautifully euphoric release. So much so that Taylor doesn't even need to roar the lyrics to make the point. The whole song simply sounds like someone supremely confident in their abilities as an artist.
"Flawless" is a perfectly fitting and beautifully sounding end to the EP. Taylor mentioned how the EP's melody and themes came quickly to her, and this track appears to be a perfect example of that. Flawless is a laid-back and seductive modern R&B song that simply doesn't have to grab you by the collar and shake you to life, like the previous two tracks. "Flawless" is a brilliant acceptance of who Tote is as a person and an apt ending to an EP about the ups and downs of modern love and twenty-first-century relationships.
David Ivory, a grammy nominated producer, has said of Taylor, "It's been ten years since I've seen someone as naturally talented as Taylor Tote." Having heard this EP and gone on this 21-odd minute journey, I completely agree with you, David, and I can't wait for Taylor's subsequent work.
MORE: Five Fun Facts with Taylor Tote
Written by George Barnett