Adolescence is BAYNK’s most meticulous work to date. It revels in eccentric, distinctive details while adhering to traditional pop structures. Most arrangements consist of grainy synth loops, plucky subs, and house-inspired drums; his digital sounds are drenched in reverb and slapped with sidechain. On the Cosmo’s Midnight-assisted “How Does it Feel?” languid synth pulses and a funky bassline give way to some of the sharpest vocal melodies on the album. “Remember,” which features Rainsford, exhibits BAYNK’s talent for peeling a heavily layered song back to its component parts before climaxing into an ecstatic yet graceful drop. This is dance music for headphones, club music for late-night walks.
The best songs on Adolescence bend toward straightforward pop formulas and, tellingly, include non-electronic instruments. “Mine” is led by quiet piano and spacey guitar, while standout “Naked” blends acoustic elements and electric bass with shimmering synths. BAYNK gives his best vocal performances here: “Get caught up on trying to pin you down/Your fingers ’round my neck, they’re feeling soft now," he coos on “Naked,” evoking the warm upper register of Whitney’s Julien Ehrlich. He’s not a great singer, as Tinashe makes plain when she steals the show on “Esther”; he scrubs clean his imperfections with layers of automation, delay, and reverb. Still, BAYNK has a keen ear for melody and knows his limits, wisely ceding the mic to guests while he works the boards.
The album is nominally a concept record about the immediacy of youth and romantic first experiences. “I went through this period of not being able to write anything,” BAYNK told Apple Music. Being in a “stable and happy relationship” wasn’t conducive to inspiration, so to get around his writer’s block, he returned to the creative cocoon of “first love.” Lyrically, the album is imagistic and vague, depicting half-baked scenes of lying in the sun, holding hands in a car, and walking through fields. The narrative never coalesces into anything meaningful, and its emotional pull wanes quickly. First love invigorates but rarely sustains; it’s BAYNK’s elastic and original production that propels the album forward, the pulse of the beat begging us to feel something beyond recognition.
Naked
BAYNK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get excited when you come around
Get caught up on tryna pin you down
Your fingers 'round my neck, they're feeling soft now
Love me now
You know I'm better when you come around
I can't control it when I'm feeling low
I can love her in my dream nowAnd you're popping in the downtown
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back, but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
Never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but, babe, I won't do that
Night sweats
You put my self-control to the test
I thought that loving you'd be effortless
Now I'm catching my breath and I must confess
I'm staying up
My head is tired from the weight of
Convincing you that you should stay in love
In my arms until you slipped, I hit the pavement
Now you're popping in the downtown
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
I can't think clearly when my head's in a rush
It could be better but think that you know
I wanted to love you but I let you go
I know it's painful to get stuck in the pastCalling me yesterday and I wanted you back
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
The song "Naked" by BAYNK is a reflective piece about a past relationship that the artist is trying to come to terms with. In the first verse, BAYNK is excited to see his former partner, but struggles with trying to define the relationship and control his emotions. As the song progresses, he admits to feeling overwhelmed and struggling with his self-control as he reflects on the past. In the second verse, BAYNK reflects on his past mistakes and the pain of losing the person he loved. Despite this, he acknowledges that he cannot go back to the past even though he wants to. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing that the decision to move on was difficult, but necessary.
The lyrics in "Naked" convey a deep sense of melancholy and longing for something that is impossible to attain again. The finger around his neck, the sweat in his nights, and the weight of love on his shoulders all contribute to this overwhelming desire for a love that has slipped away. The repetitive chorus is a testament to the difficulty of letting go, but also the willingness to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Face down
Feeling nervous and vulnerable
I get excited when you come around
Feeling happy and thrilled when the person comes near
Get caught up on tryna pin you down
Trying to figure out and understand the other person
Your fingers 'round my neck, they're feeling soft now
Feeling a physical connection with the other person
Love me now
Wanting the other person to love them back
You know I'm better when you come around
Feeling like life is better with the other person around
I can't control it when I'm feeling low
Feeling out of control when feeling sad
I can love her in my dream now
Thinking about being with someone else in their dreams
And you're popping in the downtown
Thinking about the other person while in a busy urban area
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Desiring physical contact with the other person
Traded me in for the kid in your class
Feeling betrayed and replaced by someone else
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Feeling like they can improve themselves but not sure if they can handle it
Wanted you back, but babe, I won't do that
Wanting to be with the person but not willing to go back to the past
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Acknowledging that it hurts to think about the situation
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
Feeling emotional about being contacted by the other person
Never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Realizing that the past can teach valuable lessons
Night sweats
Having trouble sleeping due to stress
You put my self-control to the test
Challenging their ability to maintain composure around the other person
I thought that loving you'd be effortless
Expecting love to come easily but finding it difficult
Now I'm catching my breath and I must confess
Taking a moment to reflect on the situation
I'm staying up
Unable to sleep due to thoughts about the other person
My head is tired from the weight of
Mentally exhausted from the emotions and thoughts
Convincing you that you should stay in love
Trying to make the other person want to stay in the relationship
In my arms until you slipped, I hit the pavement
Holding the other person until they left, experiencing emotional pain
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes
Written by: Annika Wells, Jock Nowell-Usticke, Rutger H. N. Van Woudenberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@studemund
LYRICS:
[Verse 1]
Face down
I get excited when you come around
Get caught up on tryna pin you down
Your fingers 'round my neck, they're feeling soft now
Love me now
You know I'm better when you come around
I can't control it when I'm feeling low
I can love her in my dream now
And you're popping in the downtown
[Chorus]
Ooh-ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back, but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
Never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, | won't do that
[Verse 2]
Night sweats
You put my self-control to the test
Thought that loving would be effortless
Now I'm catching my breath and I must confess
I'm staying up
My head is tired from the weight of
Convincing you that you should stay in love
In my arms until you slipped, I hit the pavement
Now you're popping in the downtown
[Chorus]
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
I can't think clearly when my head's in a rush
It could be better but think that you know
I wanted to love you but I let you go
I know it's painful to get stuck in the past
Calling me yesterday and I wanted you back
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
Ooh-ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
h/o genius editors
@ipvxyz
As someone who works in architectural photography, I really appreciate this music video.
@rochakgupta6116
The beginning of the second part at 1:23 is just wow. The riff of the guitar mixing perfectly with the beats is perfection!
@justplayin2549
gay @$$ chigg@
@studemund
LYRICS:
[Verse 1]
Face down
I get excited when you come around
Get caught up on tryna pin you down
Your fingers 'round my neck, they're feeling soft now
Love me now
You know I'm better when you come around
I can't control it when I'm feeling low
I can love her in my dream now
And you're popping in the downtown
[Chorus]
Ooh-ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back, but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
Never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, | won't do that
[Verse 2]
Night sweats
You put my self-control to the test
Thought that loving would be effortless
Now I'm catching my breath and I must confess
I'm staying up
My head is tired from the weight of
Convincing you that you should stay in love
In my arms until you slipped, I hit the pavement
Now you're popping in the downtown
[Chorus]
Ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
I can't think clearly when my head's in a rush
It could be better but think that you know
I wanted to love you but I let you go
I know it's painful to get stuck in the past
Calling me yesterday and I wanted you back
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
Ooh-ooh, wanted you back and then I needed your touch
Traded me in for the kid in your class
I could be better, then I wanna collapse
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
I know it's painful to approach it like that
Calling me yesterday and I wanted to cry
I never knew that way was the best bit of learning
Wanted you back but babe, I won't do that
h/o genius editors
@rochakgupta6116
Man, he is slowly becoming my favorite artist out there. That's fresh music.
@salembagnied8249
Baynk always delivering man keep up the good stuff
@siritalis4956
Had this on repeat the past month or two since I discovered it. Wish I could see a live version
@iheartigloos
I'm always memorized by your artistic vision!!! 💖
@noahlebel-turcotte4662
The DOP killed this one wow he nailed the lightning and framing. I love the lens choices and direction visualy
@BAYNK
She! Tammy Williams is the best <3