Tove Lo surprised fans with two new songs, just months after the release of her full-length album, Sunshine Kitty. The tracks, “Bikini Porn” and “Passion and Pain Taste the Same When I’m Weak” are complete polar opposites in terms of lyrical content and production. They show off Tove Lo’s unique sound and ability to tug at our heartstrings. In the making the tracks, she collaborated with the up-and-coming producer, Finneas, who is mostly known for being Billie Eilish‘s brother and No. 1 collaborator.
“Bikini Porn” channels Tove Lo’s party anthem sound that she’s cultivated throughout her career. The song’s energy and fun lyrics live up to the provocative title, which definitely makes you do a double-take. “Bikini Porn” is about embracing your trashy side and disregarding all boring responsibilities.
In the music video, we see a scantily clad Tove Lo dancing and wreaking havoc in (and being kicked out of) public places, such as a restaurant and a 99 cents store. Despite being alone and in public, Tove Lo continues to dance like nobody, or everybody, is watching. It showcases the carefree personality and bothered attitude that Tove Lo is known for. At the end of the video, Tove Lo gets picked up by a familiar Uber driver, who turns out to be the producer of the song, Finneas.
The other song Tove Lo released last week, titled “Passion and Pain Taste the Same When I’m Weak,” could not be more different than “Bikini Porn.” It’s Tove Lo’s take on a piano ballad, which combines beautiful, raw vocals with interesting production. Like “Bikini Porn,” this song was also a collaboration with Finneas.
It’s an honest track about the confusion of being the victim of manipulation — when there’s a blurred line between happiness and agony. The most interesting part of the song is the interlude, during which the production cuts off Tove Lo’s confession. With a vocoder effect she sings, “If you break my bones, if you br— // I’ma hurt my soul, I’ma h—” being cut off at the end of each sentence.
After listening to this surprise project, it’s clear that Tove Lo and Finneas make for interesting and successful collaborators. In “Bikini Porn,” Finneas seems to embrace Tove Lo’s weirdness and matches her vision with funky production. In “Passion and Pain Taste the Same When I’m Weak,” the production is simple with elements of experimentation to match Tove Lo’s signature sound. We hope to see more from this amazing duo in the future!
Featured Image: Universal Music Group
