FAVORITE INDIE POP: LIYV - MAYBE I WON'T

Portland-based artist Liyv, a potential princess who has quietly entered the realm of pastel pop, has released her debut EP, It Me -- and my Internet-raised, meme-loving self loves it as much as I do the title. Liyv’s pop music is best described as mystical and multi-colored. You will find solid gems in the likes of artists like Kiiara in this EP. But let’s talk about one track in particular, that slows the pacing of It Me for a couple minutes with its brooding, powerful allure. Listen to “Maybe I Won’t” below.

LIYV - MAYBE I WON'T

“Maybe I Won’t” strays from the other tracks on Liyv’s EP in that it holds a more somber air than the others. The song’s mood shifts like hazy shadows on bedroom walls, and the morphed vocals slink along like an eerie presence in your room you’d swear your life on was there.

In contrast, Liyv sounds completely unfazed by the tension surrounding her in the track. Perhaps that’s the point. “I’m more into me than I think you could ever be.” Sung any other way, this lyric would feel vulnerable and dare I say a little lonely. But Liyv’s vocals stay poised and bold from the get-go. Believe that Liyv is in the driver’s seat in her relationships just as she is in this track. So the teasing she does in the chorus bodes more than just a threat. “But maybe I won’t,” she quips in her chorus. And I’m inclined to believe her.

Liyv’s It Me is out now and streamable on Spotify and Soundcloud.