Does Lil Peep’s “Kiss” Make Rap/Rock Great Again?

No good love song is straightforward; the best channel the turmoil, trauma, exhilaration, and relief of the real deal. On “Kiss,” Lil Peep tells a love story that feels as true as any: He pleads; he scorns; he hates himself; he abuses drugs; he still waits for “one more chance at a night like this.” There’s no context as to why Peep pines, or what happens after he’s made his case for that one final kiss. The song’s failing short-term memory reflects how scatterbrained someone can be when emotionally distraught. 

In his music, Peep moves seamlessly from anger to machismo to self-loathing, all while maintaining his focus on lost love. And he infuses his stories with a daring mix of sonic elements, offering a washed-out cloud-rap update with thudding bass, emo guitar, and shimmering sleigh bells. As on HELLBOY and crybaby, Peep is quickly establishing a sound that combines deeply emotive bits of music that may otherwise sound corny and saccharine on their own, and “Kiss” is all the richer in how near it is to superficiality. Sometimes we just want a song that makes us feel something, wrenching out every drip of angst, sentimentality, and melody.

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