Troye Sivan’s latest number ‘Take Yourself Home’ demonstrates that the Australian singer has a lot more in his repertoire that people give him credit for.

The new tune doesn’t rely on fresh, fast-paced beats to grab our attention; it does so by taking it slow, breezy and intangibly reflective. The song is buoyed by some strong, sharp acoustic guitar chords that hammer home the contemplative atmosphere set up by the composition. Sivan has always had a soft, supple voice that can adapt itself to the most alluring of pop sounds but here he deploys it to convey rather sombre meanings. The most notable quality that makes this tune stand apart is the level of maturity being exhibited by the young singer-songwriter — he doesn’t try to loop back to the youthful energy that’s so far defined his career. 

What’s more, the chorus breakdowns do not feature any vocals from the singer; instead, it thrives by incorporating some old-school trumpet chords followed by intriguing female vocal effects. The production is meticulous but altogether subtle and just chill enough to keep you feeling light and contemplative throughout. The power of the instrumentation will draw you in and help you lose yourself in the sound. Note also must be given to the percussive arrangement of the song; it’s not overpowering and the crisp clicks and snaps in the background add a pleasing dimension to the song. 

The single marks as the first from Sivan’s upcoming third studio album. It details the disillusionment of living in a big city and how that sparks feelings of homesickness and ennui within Sivan. But there is a cryptic element of regret and loss simmering below the surface, as evidenced by the lyrics like ‘If I’m gonna die, let’s die somewhere pretty.’ The words can be taken and interpreted in multiple ways, so Troye works hard to convey the themes through the sounds as well as he does through the impressive lyrics. 

In order to develop the cover image and visual art for this single, Sivan worked with freelance artists struggling to find work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The artists also helped him create a line of t-shirts related to the new single, the proceeds of which would go to an emergency pandemic fund. So not only does Troy cover all his bases in terms of the music, but he’s also making sure that his sound does a whole lot of good in the world. 

 Pop      Singer-songwriter 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.