Gloomy, icy and obscure, ‘Evil Genius’ is a particularly striking offering. First of all, Tavares’ vocal tone is incredibly vibrant and nuanced, here delivered with obsessive elegance and a deep, dissonant character. Drenched in a fuzzy livery, Josh’s voice wraps the listeners into a cathartic and noisy musical universe that’s hard-hitting and reflective. That’s something Thom Yorke would do, for instance.
Then, there’s the production around it. ‘Evil Genius’ is built on a dark-wave, alt-pop, grim electronic sonic livery. Featuring massive drum hits, gritty synth bass and distorted textures, such a challenging and unconventional environment is the perfect match for Tavares’ artistry, here also manifesting a certain industrial flair.
Hailing from Toronto, Josh delves into personal experience, using ‘Evil Genius’ as a poignant outlet for internal conflict. As he explains: “I wrote it after feeling stuck and controlled in my life. The song itself acknowledges those controllers but it’s really about defiance and standing up for yourself”.
Recommended! Discover ‘Evil Genius’ on Spotify:
