Blue Hawaii, Arbutus Records and many of their Montreal counter-parts all began with the same breath in early 2010. Their debut album Blooming Summer (2010) was recorded following the pair’s travels in Central America. It frames a time of warmth and novelty, featuring dense female harmonies, tape saturated synths, guitars and drum machines. Eventually Ra (Raphaelle Standell-Preston) returned to her role in Braids, touring constantly, while Agor (Alexander Cowan) moved to Europe, treading deeper into dance music, electronics, and production.
The two decided to make Untogether in 2012; they began recording on New Years Day in Vancouver and intermittently worked on the project until summer broke in Montreal. The music followed their winter in Canada, it became colder, more introspective. It again captured a time and place, but instead of a dense saturation of love and excitement, this record reflects the vast world of self-awareness and delicacy. It takes for its subject the question of belonging, despite overwhelming space.
Musically, the production on the album is more spacious and physically it was recorded in separation. Despite this, it belongs together in its final form. It demonstrates successful creative process in a pair who composed apart, and in doing so it is a meditation on communication: how technology and art influence modern human relationships. It contains the vast space of two years passing, including watching their Montreal scene change as some launched into international success and others turned deeper inwards. Here, the album finds the conflict of separation/belonging to one’s self and community.
The duo notice that throughout the changing social and personal landscape which is one’s twenties, these divided notions and people somehow stay together. Even the name Blue Hawaii suggests a kind of melancholic, jaded paradise, but a paradise after all. It is because – or perhaps in spite of – these disjointed intersections that the record is called Untogether.
Dream Electrixra
Blue Hawaii Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
though you seem to be the kind of friend that I long for.
I'm sure you've given that look to another,
but I've never wanted anyone this bad before.
We're gonna have the best days of our life,
for there's no more strife, and if you take my advice
I'll be there to show you happily,
what it's like to feel free, much better than to choose.
When I met you, I stopped searching, you know?
Oh my heart is beating so fast (so fast), that's just how I want it to last.
To twirl your fingers, all five of them, through my hair.
We're gonna have the best days of our life,
for there's no more strife, and if you take my advice
When I met you, I stopped searching, you know?
I'll be there to show you happily,
what it's like to feel free, much better than to choose.
Much better, When I met you, I stopped searching, you know?
The song "Dream Electrixra" by Blue Hawaii depicts the feeling of finding oneself enamoured with someone who is a friend, but at the same time, longing for something more. The singer expresses their desire to be their friend's lover, despite acknowledging that the person in question may have given the same look to someone else. They claim that this new life with the person they're pursuing will be strife-free and promising, and that they stopped searching for someone as soon as they met their crush. The singer's heart is beating fast, and they want the feeling to last, especially when the person twirls their fingers through their hair.
The lyrics of this song are emotive and relatable to anyone who has ever found themselves wanting more from a friend. The song's chorus suggests that the singer and their friend will have the best days of their life and that the singer will show them what it means to be genuinely free. They are confident that they will be much happier with each other than with anyone else. The combination of dreamy synth sounds and pulsing beats in the background further adds to the song's mesmerizing yet romantic feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Can I purpose to be your lover,
May I ask to be your romantic partner
though you seem to be the kind of friend that I long for.
even though I crave a friendship with you too
I'm sure you've given that look to another,
I bet you've looked at someone else that same way before
but I've never wanted anyone this bad before.
but I've never felt such intense desire for someone
We're gonna have the best days of our life,
Our future together will be joyful
for there's no more strife, and if you take my advice
Because there will be no more conflict, and if you listen to me
When I met you, I stopped searching, you know?
When I found you, I stopped looking for love
I'll be there to show you happily,
I'll gladly be by your side to demonstrate
what it's like to feel free, much better than to choose.
how liberating it is to not have to make a choice
Oh my heart is beating so fast (so fast), that's just how I want it to last.
My heart is racing and I hope it stays that way
To twirl your fingers, all five of them, through my hair.
When you run your fingers through my hair, using all five fingers
Much better, When I met you, I stopped searching, you know?
It's much better now that I found you and stopped looking for love
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.