Countless albums came out this summer, from Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n Sweet, to Charli XCX’s Brat. Artists have been going crazy with music releases. However, one artist sticks out to me with her new beautifully made album This Is How Tomorrow Moves.
Beabadoobee has been known for her largely popular indie hits, such as “Perfect Pair”, “Apple Cider” and “The Way Things Go”, but with this new album, I think it’s very possible that we’ll have another song or two that won’t leave any of our heads.
The album starts with “Take a Bite”. Originally released as a single, this song hit the internet immediately. You couldn’t go on TikTok without hearing it at least once. This track is honestly one of my favorites and it’s easy to see why it got so popular. With lyrics like, “Moments that cease to exist / Only want to fix it with a kiss on the lips”, this song is about toxicity within a relationship.
“Lyrically, the song is about just acknowledging my side of relationships where I can be toxic,” Beabadoobee stated in an interview with Elle Magazine, “So when it comes to relationships, when I’m finally in the healthy, most loving relationship, I’ll find everything to sabotage it.” Other than the meaning behind the song, the music in general is addicting. With angelic sounding guitar and calm drumming, it’s easily one of the nicest sounding tracks on the album.
The next song on the album is “California.” This track has a slight shift, with electric guitar and a more upbeat sound. To contrast with the dancy instrumentals, Beabadoobee’s lyrics are somewhat heartbreaking, expressing her feelings of being in a one-sided relationship. Even in the opening lines, “Spending too much time out in California / And for all this time I’ve been waiting for you,” the listener is immediately introduced to her longing for a love that isn’t being reciprocated. I’ve listened to this track easily 30 times, and each time I still feel the same upbeat sadness. It’s a strange phenomenon but still such a beautiful song.
Skipping to the seventh track of the album, “Coming Home” is a slower song compared to the others. It begins with slow strumming of a guitar, which sets the tone for a soft, calming track. Towards the end of the song, there’s a break from purely guitar, and we’re met with a beautiful trumpet. This part of the song made my jaw drop. It was so unexpected yet it works so well. Every time I hear it I imagine it being in the background of a scene in La La Land. This track is about the little things in a relationship that we don’t often view as intimate, such as the lyrics “You do the dishes, you’ll carry the load / To make up lost time.” Beabadoobee revealed that she wrote this song while she was on a trip away from her boyfriend and her cats and how being away from her loved ones really made her realize the small things in a relationship that we often overlook. The meaning of this track is so sweet and heartwarming; it’s definitely a feel-good song.
I lastly want to cover the eleventh track, “Beaches”. I can confidently say that this is the best song on the album. It’s one of the most well known songs from Beabadoobee–and for good reason. It feels like her old music, which I like. It feels young and fresh while still tackling a difficult topic. The track opens with energetic guitar and overall bouncy instrumentals, which is perfect behind Beabadoobee’s smooth vocals. The song dives into themes of self-discovery, a super bittersweet topic. One of my favorite lyrics, “Don’t wait for the tide just to dip both your feet in / ‘Cause I’m sure now, I’m sure” shows this perfectly. This track is such a feel good song: I have had it on repeat since it was released, and it is frankly a perfect car song.
This has got to be one of my favorite Beabadoobee albums, as there is not a single bad song. The variety in tone and instruments throughout the album is admirable. As of now, Beabadoobee has started her tour for This Is How Tomorrow Moves, having just played her first ever arena show on Sept. 15. If you have tickets to this show, I’m jealous and somewhat angry. If this is your first time hearing about Beabadoobee, I definitely recommend you listen.
