Journey to the Other Side of Heartache With Harrison Lipton's 'Speedracer'
Love is triggering, and losing love even more so — making the human experience of seeking connection a juxtaposition of competing anxieties. It's a contrast that's been explored throughout history by artists of all modalities, but perhaps the medium best used for this purpose is R&B soundscape. Harrison Lipton's entry into the genre, "Speedracer," positions him as the man of the hour for this task, a prophet ready to shepherd the heartbroken through the metaphorical valley and beyond.
Layering stirring vocals with an upbeat rhythm, the Hadji Gaviota and Ivy Sole-assisted “Speedracer” makes use of warm synths, heavy basslines, and R&B undertones, to explore the positive and pessimistic sides of love. It's an innovative, genre-defining piece that draws on Lipton's experience in a children's Gospel choir (despite being an atheist Jew).
And the song, plus the official video that accompanies it, comes from a place of lived personal experience. “My ex and I made the video [for "Speedracer"] while we were dating," says Lipton. "The heartbreak in the song has become a self-fulfilling prophecy as we broke up, but we decided to still share this with the world as a testament to what we had.”
For Lipton, it's all about answering one of the most central questions for anyone who has loved and lost: “How do I heal from a relationship that gave me the highest highs and the lowest lows?" he asks. "How do I sleep at night when I realize I’m my own worst enemy? How do I learn to let go of something that isn’t healthy for me anymore, but I still crave it with every piece of my heart? These are the questions rattling around in my head when sleep doesn’t come easy and I have a pit in my chest, replaying fractured memories, and I turn to music to try to make sense of it all.”
While Lipton might turn to creating music to make sense of love's contradictions, I turn to listening to it. If you find yourself with similar instincts, "Speedracer" is here to usher you through the desolation.
Watch the "Speedracer" video below:
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