Loneliness can feel self-imposed. After all, the solution is to simply go out and talk to people, right? But, it’s not a choice. And it’s not that easy. How can you be expected to connect with people when you can’t connect with yourself?
Dieter’s new single “Up and Down” explores the themes of instability and inadequacy in a way that feels current and deeply personal. Pairing contradictions with conversations about one’s own inability to feel grounded and fulfilled, the song takes a stab at explaining what it’s like to not be okay.
The takeaway? It’s okay to not be okay.
Most of us have been there and can relate to what Dieter sings about on his newest release, part of his comeback to music after a seven-year-long hiatus. That relatability is the backbone of the song. Like the title of the song implies, no one feels good all of the time.
I’m up and down, can’t level out
Or feel okay yeah, when I hate the day
There are ups and downs, and that’s totally normal; it’s also easy to forget. While Dieter doesn’t necessarily reach a conclusion or resolution within the songs lyrics, he shares with us his experience, and that’s arguably just as meaningful. Dieter’s track reminds listeners that they’re not alone in their struggle to find balance between the highs and lows of life.
The track finds balance itself between low-fi hip hop and pop.
Low-fi music is difficult to sustain on its own–it easily fades into background music indistinguishable from white notes. Which is exactly why it needs to be paired with something to create the necessary spice that sets it apart. Dieter’s choice was to add in elements of hip hop and pop music giving it a current sound that’s ever so slightly reminiscent of the early 2000s when “hip-pop” was at its peak.
And I’m up and down, all the time I feel
I’m a wasted soul, with, all this time I steal
The pulsing strings that give the song momentum and its hyper-emotional aura take me back to the days of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake (at his “Cry Me A River” best). It’s a sound that hasn’t been around in a minute but is a welcome visitor.
Compared to other synth-heavy electronic R&B tunes, Dieter strips things down, opting for recognizable strings that layer on top of one another. They become the centerpiece of his otherwise low-fi song. A well-decorated blend of sophisticated and trendy.
But it’s Dieter’s voice that brings it all together.
A soft but present style, Dieter’s voice is gentle without fading away into just another layer on the track. His high register is both powerful and calm. It helps amplify the conflicting emotions he sings about, both filling him with raging self-hatred and whispering apathy.
Play it like a game, when I’m hot and cold
And I know I’m young, but I feel so old
TLDR; being a person is hard. It’s nice to be reminded that other people feel this way, too. Dieter’s throwback to the glory days of the ’00s pop combines nostalgia with all the modern conveniences of low-fi hip hop. The track updates a trusted sound and fills it with personal anecdotes that narrate one’s journey in learning to find stability. Opening up in such a way is difficult, and “Up and Down” is a vulnerable song I bet many will find parts of themselves in.
