Oddnesse’s “It Runs Wild” is a fierce and mystical foray into the far-out indie rock pop territories.
It’s a sort of supernatural chant of power. With layers upon layers of different synths and sounds, the psychedelic yet down-to-earth music stands out from its contemporaries. We’ve heard soft-spoken vocalists on moody songs before, but not quite like this.
Singer-songwriter-producer Rebeca Arango’s sweet, whispery voice has a mysterious tone to it. When she starts singing, you’re not sure whether this will be a lullaby or a battle cry. Fortunately, it’s the latter.
Her captivating voice suits her pointed lyrics, which are sharp and ferocious without ever getting loud. Instead, she uses her whimsical vibrato to make her points, linking her distinct style of singing to the song’s lyrics. Just reading the words versus hearing her sing makes all the difference and offer different experiences. That’s an achievement to be recognized, considering the wispy singer manages to deliver the biting lines with angst and grit,
“Come out, come out where ever you are
Big mystery bothering me
Get the f*ck out”
Then there’s the unearthly accompaniment. The juxtaposition between the soft-toned vocalist and the bold, almost eerie backing is surprising and exciting. It’s atmospheric, creating loads of space within the many blankets of sounds to float in and get lost in.
There’s a lot to listen to, and “It Runs Wild” is anything but simple, but that’s what makes it fun.
The lyricism on this song is also fascinating. Poetic in nature but still accessible, Oddnesse’s single is reserved but powerful as she sings the chorus:
“I’m trying to cultivate an organized mind
Still it runs wild”
I love the contrast between the first and second lines. There’s so much purpose and effort in the words “cultivate an organized mind,” a habit I hate to admit most of us are guilty of. Trying so hard to get everything together when it’s just not working. The words are so carefully chosen and emphasized. This is exactly what makes the subsequent simple line (and title) so strong. Sometimes, no matter what you do, your mind is not going to listen. It just “runs wild.”
This is not your ordinary “I can do it” song. Oddnesse’s “It Runs Wild” has a unique edge. The admission of the crazy inner thoughts that go through one’s head, the lack of control that’s both frightening and invigorating. Paired with its weird, Wonderland-esque imagery, the song gets you thinking.
The song culminates with the words:
“Why do I worry about any of it
I’ve survived in the dark before
I could try and find a way
to stop falling and falling
But I know there is no floor”
The most fascinating part of the song is how the music perfectly parallels what the words are explaining.
Oddnesse begins singing the phrase in her upper register, and slowly the phrase loops around the musical scale before ending in her lower register—effectively “falling and falling” before it fades out.
In literature, there’s something called concrete poetry, which is when the physical shape of a poem’s types words have a meaning (like, if you write a poem about a star, you could type the words out with certain line breaks to look like a star). Oddnesse’s final stanza has a concrete musicality to it, which is both enchanting and enthralling.
The song it carries with it such an incredible, individual point of view, it makes listeners want to sit down with the writer and just talk things out. Songs that make you feel like you can have a dialogue with them are few and far between, and they require a kind of songwriting so interesting and vulnerable. Not every tune can be so weighted yet so buoyant, but Oddnesse has done just that on “It Runs Wild.”
