If you’re an extraordinarily affluent teen from New York City’s upper east side growing up in the 2010s, there’s only one phrase that’s more harrowing than an AMEX being declined: “That’s one secret I’ll never tell.” Today, the tagline from the teen drama Gossip Girl lives on with the new single from Lolina — one of the projects of Russian-Estonian experimental musician Alina Astrova. The single also comes alongside two remixes by NEW YORK and Arca.
“gg” opens with a wide-hipped rhythm that sounds like chopped wind gusts. There’s also thin keyboard embellishments and an elegant melody in the background — almost sounds like a harp? Lolina’s vocals are slippery and calculated. The song is filled with thorny, tantalizing lines like this one: “Let’s talk about our failures/ You look good doing it.”
The Bandcamp bio included some background on the song:
We’ve all heard the rumors of L performing this one around the globe for months, & some of the lucky ones got the chance to catch it live… but now the wait appears to be over for the general public. There are officially plans to release the studio version of ‘gg’, and it’s safe to say the track is scandalous. Meeting same time, same place to get to the bottom of it all. Confusion lingers, yet everything stays comfortably in strife. It all keeps moving.
Who is the city even for now? What’s our own involvement in the distress? That’s one secret I’ll never tell!
Why is it that L must use song to persist in this city that never sleeps? Have fables fallen so out of fashion that princesses have to do everything themselves now?
Well… according to some tips we received this doesn’t seem to be the case. L has enlisted help from some very exciting sonic connoisseurs, resulting in remixes stronger than a knight in shining armor could ever provide.
So let’s check out this track list, shall we?
Listen to all the versions below.
