Review on Mxmtoon’s new EP dusk

Maia, going under the stage-name mxmtoon (based off her initials), is an American singer, songwriter, and tiktok influencer. She gained popularity in 2019 when her song “Promdress” became a common song used in POV and makeup artists’ TikToks. Dusk is her fourth album since her debut album Plum Blossom in 2018. 

Dusk, her newest EP following Dawn(2020), focuses on the possibilities of the “end”. Mxmtoon wanted this album to spark the feeling of continuing to look for possibilities and “find wonder and joy despite the dark” (Mxmtoon, Diymag). The artist described the EP as a bit more “introspective” with many more “somber moments” than her past works. With the pandemic the press for her new album has been very little, leaving a lot up for interpretation about what the music means to the listener.

“Bon Iver”

The first song in the album, named after the 2006 indie band of the same name, opens up with a slow but uplifting tune. This song follows much of mxmtoon’s past works, incorporating ukulele,piano, electronic music, and a multitude of accompanied vocals by the singer herself. The song focuses on loving someone or something that you are unable to reach. We begin to wonder and think to ourselves what could be. The vocals for the song are done beautifully. mxmtoon has a light yet strong voice, which helps portray this feeling of the longing she is feeling. 

“Wallflower”

Looking and understanding oneself is a common theme in Mxmtoon’s work. As we all are she is looking for a community where she fits in. “Wallflower” focuses on her fear of moving on from conformity, the main lines of the chorus being “I don’t wanna stand out”. As a teenager this is a very understandable feeling, moving on from the crowd is a rather hard thing to do. The classical accompaniment of this song is a lot different than her other music, which normally involves a bit of pop. It adds very nicely to the somber tone of the song. The only issue with the song is that it’s rather repetitive, but I believe that was a stylistic choice to convey the feeling of fear and overthinking. 

“Asking for a friend” 

The feeling of loneliness and longing is once again focused on in her third song. The song, written like she’s singing it to a specific person, is asking for someone to comfort her in her loneliness. The song starts off slow and simple with a piano accompaniment and a simple beat, which is built upon as the song continues. This makes us feel her urgency and longing for that specific person we all have, the friend we long for when we are at our darkest moments.

“Show and tell”

The most somber sounding song in the album is “Show and Tell.” This song focuses on the feeling of emptiness. Mxmtoon uses a very light voice in this song and is accompanied by guitar. The song has a simple beat which adds to the feeling of being blank. This song is a bit slow and drawn on for me, but I appreciate the feeling and thought put behind the lyrics, as we have all felt like during these times

“First”

“First” is my personal favorite in the album. Mxmtoon explains the end to a relationship (friend, family, significant other) without being mad or angry. She sings about how although they may not have worked out, she is very thankful for all they did for her. She explains the relationship like a book, you enjoy it while it lasts, you learn from it, but eventually “the chapter has to end.” I think this song perfectly encompasses the feeling of acceptance, understanding that just because you love someone it doesn’t mean that, that person belongs in your life. It shows her growth from her other songs which long for that person, to her acceptance and appreciation for what they did, even if they’re gone.