rising by mxmtoon

Review written by windowsxrhi

Maia, indie-pop artist better known as mxmtoon, explores the idea of accepting the things we can’t change in her second studio album, rising. The dreamy backsplash she creates behind these grounded and poppy lyrics about growing up is a type of contrast that makes accepting things as they are feel a bit easier.

mxmtoon sings, “shakin’ the hands of adults who have too much to say” in the track dizzy, which is a feeling we all can relate to as we navigate young adulthood. At times like those, we wish we could go back to moments like dinner talks and walks around the block with mom, like she states in victim of nostalgia. The bittersweet emotions within these songs are so heart-achingly resonant, that I could both cry and smile. Anyone that’s ever yearned for the past or is still healing their inner child will have an emotional roller coaster with this album, but somehow, will still be able to get up and dance to it.

Despite the themes of yearning and wishing in this album, there’s also a sense of self-acceptance and self love, which is what we see in the first track, “mona lisa.” To me, “mona lisa” is the heart and soul of the album. There’s an overarching theme of moving forward and beginning to accept the flaws of oneself underneath the nostalgia-sick lyrics of the record, and this first track really encompasses that. Being a creative myself, I understand the notion behind mxmtoon’s motive for this song of wanting to matter and wanting to make a difference. But, at the same time, making a difference for ourselves can be just as good.

The next track, learn to love you, takes those same themes and pushes them further as Maia describes feeling like she can go higher than Kilimanjaro with this newfound self love from the first song. Although it’s not my most listened to track off this album, it’s nice to listen to every once in a while when you need a pick-me-up.

“victim of nostalgia” is my personal favorite off of this record. I think it’s safe to say that there’s a collective wish that at times we could turn back the clock and experience life’s simplicity, especially as kids. The more we grow up, the more the rose-colored glasses slip on our faces and we feel a pit in our stomachs at just how overwhelming the world can be. With this album only having come out a couple years after the height of COVID-19, I think a lot of us growing into young adulthood feel that pull to go back to a different time. Because of this, I think my generation is more prone to latching onto the past and engaging with old media we grew up with, and even some media before Gen Z’s time. I think I latch onto this track because even before all the life-altering world events, I’ve always looked back and reflected. I grew up moving around a lot and so I always wonder how different my life would be if I had stayed in a certain house. I’m constantly thinking of memories of my family and old friends and people I’ve met on my walk of life.

Like most people, we have our ups and downs. The track “sad disco” invites the listener with a retro dance-pop sound and relatable lyrics of feeling bored and alone. Despite the pity party of feeling FOMO and getting stuck into a depressive rut, there’s a contrast of owning your pity party and making the best of the situation you’re in. I find myself putting this song on when I’m feeling down, and the upbeat 80s-sounding synths and catchy melody never fails to make me bop my head even on a bad day. To me, Maia has mastered the sad-songs-that-sound-happy genre.

“Good Morning / The weather forecast today is showing a slight chance of sunshine and sadness / It’s another perfect day to not feel that perfect” is the bridge of the next track, and perfectly (no pun intended) describes the essence of this next song, “frown.” Channeling your emotions and energy into something productive is the best way to process what you go through, and Maia conveys that well through hip-hop inspired sounds. My favorite part of the track is the trumpets that play in the background. Mixing pop with any sort of brass instrument or traditional instrumental is always such a fun mix, and this is no different. It’s nice to have a song and an artist behind it saying that it’s okay to wear your heart on your sleeve sometimes; we’re only human.

Next, Maia slows it down with an acoustic track called “florida,” which is about a sweltering summer day in Florida and reminiscing on youth and its juxtaposition with growing old. In the track, she describes someone close to her turning 81 and how she grapples with that. Reaching your 80s usually means death is on the horizon for most, and so lyrics like, “Morning memories with you / There is nothing left to do / Someone tell me how to feel about it / Fate is written on the page / We can never outrun age” really hits close. The passing of time is inevitable, and for some, just the thought of it creates a pit in the stomach. Death and mortality are definitely fears I struggle with, and having had death happen closely to me in my family, this is a song I can definitely relate to.

“scales” is an ambient electronic track that uses metaphors of astrology to describe the inner battle of finding harmony and peace. Scales are a common symbol for Libra, which is Maia’s rising sign, according to genius.com. It’s said that your rising sign is how you present yourself to other people, and Libras are known for striving for balance, hence the scale symbolism. Whether you believe in astrology or not, it’s definitely a fun little easter egg within the song. Allegories and metaphors are Maia’s specialty, and this song is definitely no different as she creates an ethereal world to describe existential matters.

Taking a step back into reality, tracks like “growing pains” and “haze” tackle the overarching theme of the record, which is growing up and accepting change. “growing pains” acts as a letter of encouragement to Maia’s past self, which I think is an interesting contrast to haze. The latter track deals with the wondering and fear of growing up and whether things will turn out okay. It’s a relatable feeling to want to tell your younger self it’ll be alright, but still feeling like your present self is lost. It kind of goes back to the notion that virtually no one has it figured out. As with the entire roster of the album, Maia still manages to spin the songs to sound optimistic and hopeful as we navigate the enigma that is life.

The last two tracks, “dance (end of the world)” and “coming of age,” feel like you’re at a middle school or high school dance in the best way possible. These are the kinds of songs you’d expect to hear in a movie or TV show, and the funny thing is, you can hear one of them in a TV show! The LGBTQ+ friendly Netflix series Heartstopper utilizes mxmtoon’s music quite frequently, and they actually used “coming of age” in the second season. The show follows high school students in the UK as they navigate friendship, love, and growing up, and I think its wholesome nature pairs well with her upbeat sound.

If I learned anything from rising, it’s that there’s no set rules on life and dealing with the grief that comes with that confusion. Nonetheless, we still find the beauty and excitement within our collective and individual experiences amongst the fog. As mxmtoon says in her final track, “let the credits roll.”