Pushing beyond his playlist origins, the New Zealand producer’s debut album… Read Full Bio ↴Pushing beyond his playlist origins, the New Zealand producer’s debut album revels in eccentric details while adhering to traditional pop structures. Like so many electronic artists in the mid-’10s, New Zealand’s BAYNK (Jock Nowell-Usticke) got his start making chill, pop-adjacent songs that seemed primed for placement in mood-based playlists. His early attempts at surf-bro EDM sounded like what Kygo and LeMarquis were putting out on SoundCloud at the time; he used his voice sparingly, mainly as material to be sampled. In the years since, though, he has refined his palette. On 2017’s Someone’s EP I and 2019’s Someone’s EP II, his percussion took on the rhythmic impulse of Four Tet, and his rubbery basslines and glossy experimentalism were reminiscent of early Cashmere Cat and Flume. Using his Auto-Tuned falsetto to further texturize his songs, BAYNK’s fusion of house, R&B, and pop soon set him apart from the many similar acts scattered throughout the scene.

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.

Off Limits
BAYNK Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you got something to say
Just say it right away
Don't hide under your breath

You keep giving me the signs
Tell me what's on your mind
Don't let it hold you back

I remember that night I was tongue tied
And we both kept our secrets inside
You said we should always be honest
But being honest is always the hardest

Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits

So why don't you tell me (why don't you tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits (nothing's off limits)

So what you gonna to do
You know I'm into you
We've got something so good

I've been waiting for so long
Tell me what you really want
Don't be scared to make your move

I remember that night I was tongue tied
And we both kept our secrets inside
You said we should always be honest

But being honest is always the hardest

Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits

So why don't you tell me (why don't you tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits (nothing's off limits)

I remember that night I was tongue tied
And we both kept our secrets inside
You said we should always be honest
But being honest is always the hardest

Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits

So why don't you tell me (why don't you tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
'Cause nothing's off limits (nothing's off limits)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to BAYNK's song Off Limits are a call for honesty and communication in relationships. The singer advises his partner not to hide their feelings and to be straightforward about what they want. The chorus repeats the phrase "Baby just tell me, what you need to tell me," emphasizing the importance of open communication.

The verses allude to a past moment when both parties kept secrets from each other. The singer reflects that being honest is difficult, but necessary for a healthy relationship. He reassures his partner that "nothing is off limits," encouraging them to speak their mind freely. The upbeat, electronic-pop production contrasts with the serious message of the lyrics, making it catchy and danceable.

Overall, the song serves as a reminder that communication is key in any relationship. While it can be challenging, the benefits of honesty and openness outweigh the difficulties. The repetitive nature of the chorus adds to the song's hooky and catchy nature, driving home the message that nothing should be kept hidden.

Line by Line Meaning

If you got something to say
If you have something on your mind that you want to share

Just say it right away
Don’t wait, just say what you need to say immediately

Don't hide under your breath
Don’t be afraid to speak up and make your thoughts known

You keep giving me the signs
You’ve been sending me signals, indicating that something is troubling you

Tell me what's on your mind
Share with me what’s bothering you so we can address it

Don't let it hold you back
Don’t let fear or insecurity get in the way of expressing yourself

I remember that night I was tongue tied
I recall a time when I was at a loss for words

And we both kept our secrets inside
You and I both held back what we truly felt

You said we should always be honest
You expressed the importance of being truthful in our relationship

But being honest is always the hardest
Despite knowing it’s the right thing to do, being honest can be difficult

Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
Please communicate with me and let me know your truth

What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Share with me what’s on your mind

Just got to go with it
We need to be willing to face any challenges together

'Cause nothing's off limits
We should address anything that comes up in our relationship with openness and honesty

So why don't you tell me (why don't you tell me)
Why not share with me what’s been on your mind

What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Please don’t hold back, share with me what you’ve been thinking

So what you gonna to do
What actions are you going to take now that you’ve shared your thoughts

You know I'm into you
You are aware of my feelings towards you

We've got something so good
We have a deep connection and a strong relationship

I've been waiting for so long
I’ve been eager for you to share your true feelings with me for a long time

Tell me what you really want
Please share your true desires with me

Don't be scared to make your move
Don’t let fear or anxiety hold you back from taking action

Nothing's off limits
We should be willing to communicate about anything that comes up in our relationship

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Cameron Scott Robertson, Jock Nowell Usticke, Joseph Carl Wenceslao, Karina Jane Sim Wykes

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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@BarcaLeo14

7y↑35

If you got something to say
Just say it right away
Don't hide under your breath

You keep giving me the signs
Tell me what's on your mind
Don't let it hold you back

[Hook]
I remember that night I was tongue tied
And we both kept our secrets inside
You said we should always be honest
But being honest is always the hardest

[Chorus]
Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
Cause nothing's off limits

So why don't you just tell me (why don't you just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
Cause nothing's off limits (nothing's off limits)

So what you gonna to do
You know I'm into you
We've got something so good

I've been waiting so long
Tell me what you really want
Don't be scared to make your move

[Hook]
I remember that night I was tongue tied
And we both kept our secrets inside
You said we should always be honest
But being honest is always the hardest

[Chorus]
Baby just tell me (baby just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
Cause nothing's off limits

So why don't you just tell me (why don't you just tell me)
What you need to tell me (what you need to tell me)
Just got to go with it
Cause nothing's off limits (nothing's off limits)