Establishing the mood with a spiritual percussion soundscape, tapping into notions of dimensionality and a cerebral frequency expanding with a bass performance, 50mething opens Loose Change (Gone Electric) with intrigue and the lyrics, “I’m not rich, but I’ve got an itch that I just can’t seem to scratch…”
The opus expands with introspective depth and a dynamic energy with a high emotional quotient as 50mething shares his personal perspective on his lived experience and how he perceives the world. We appreciate the wisdom and poetic prowess that manifests.
In essence, the alternative track offers a sharp social commentary on modern street crime. It blends 50mething reflection with subtle humour, resulting in a compelling and thought-provoking sonic experience. We appreciate the soundscape switch ups and the gated synths.
The vocal harmonies add depth to the experience and the production feels both progressive and timeless. We learn that the song began four years ago when 50mething started writing it amidst rising concern about crime.
The core message is to be vigilant, and leave valuables at home. It feels very zeitgeist considering the state of reality in this moment – as we write this commentary from London where phone thieves as depicted in the song are literally everywhere.
For some wider context on the artist, 50mething first recorded music in his mid twenties. He even used a tape to tape eight track recorder. Buying a house and raising a family paused his music journey and he lost touch with new technology, but in 2019 he returned using compact digital devices. The process brought him renewed joy and he has since released five tracks.
His debut reflected his 2023 cancer diagnosis. The sophomore release honoured Martin Luther King, whilst his third tackled knife crime. This brought us to a track responding to a documentary about intimate image abuse after breakups. Unreleased songs address George Floyd, school shootings, Ukraine, Gaza, and Roe v. Wade. are still to come.
There is no doubt that 50mething is plugged into current affairs and is sharing his philosophical depth through music. Fans of Prince and Stevie Wonder might be able to connect with what 50mething is creating, but there is no doubt that the artist is designing a sound unto his own.
Naturally, we have added Loose Change (Gone Electric) to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of 50mething, including Slowly Through the Night, and Hear Me Now.