We previously featured Occupation:Baby for the serene exploration of emotional truths on Lights, so when we found out that the artist was back with I Said What I Said, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
I Said What I Said opens with an intricately strummed acoustic guitar soundscape with cosmic, ethereal synths, expanding with textured and emotive drums. The composition immediately taps into a high emotional quotient and there is no doubt that it is expressed with instrumental mastery and precision.
Occupation:Baby shares his captivating timbre with poetic prowess and metaphorical depth as we are taken on an introspective and deeply human journey. In essence, I Said What I Said is about standing by our own convictions. It delivers a poignant message about refusing to apologise for speaking our inner truths, and finding strength in self acceptance despite criticism. Released during Leo season, this feels important, zeitgeist and reflects on both an interpersonal and political niveau.
The writing is direct but cinematic. It pairs declarative, emotionally resonant lyrics with vivid imagery and anthemic hooks. Fans of The War on Drugs, M83, The Killers, CHVRCHES, and Bruce Springsteen will absolutely be able to connect with Occupation:Baby‘s writing style.
We could imagine the song securing sync placements in films like Drive, Voicemails for Isabelle, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and a TV show like Nine Perfect Strangers or Ted Lasso.
The track feels cathartic and transformative, and we are in awe of the cohesive tapestry of sound that comes to life. Speaking on the recording process, Occupation:Baby confesses, “The song features analog synths and distorted guitars washed with reverb, the 80s drums heavily focus on the 2nd beat to keep a constant rhythm. The vocals feature many harmonies and a vocoder to add depth. The guitar solo uses an 80s phaser on top of a classic 80s reverb. The main ‘guitar’ part is actually a synth pizzicato string sound, it was originally supposed to be a guitar sound but it didn’t quite fit the vibe of the song to use a real guitar.”
We love how much depth Occupation:Baby shares on the authenticity of the production, and the dreamy and cinematic final result of the song. We have added I Said What I Said to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Occupation:Baby, including Satisfied, and Forevermore.