DJ N3RV0U5 – “You Better Run”
DJ N3RV0U5 – “You Better Run” – Single Review
What in the actual fuck?
DJ N3RV0US might just be onto something here.
At the very least, it was a heckin’ good idea to release his new single “You Better Run” in time for the ol’ Halloween season – this is one seriously twisted tale! I’ve got a whole lotta love for imaginative ideas that don’t feel like they’ve been done over and over again…so you betcha, I was immediately into “You Better Run.” It’s catchy AF on the surface, yet lurking below its shimmering synth-laden gloss, it’s got an all-out murderous storyline that revolved around the like…potential killing, possibly eating, and maybe even packing of a woman’s former love interest. Wild, right? For a minute there at the start, it seems like everything’s goin’ pretty damn well…date night/fuckin’ in Amsterdam…and then she decides that a one night stand ain’t gonna cut it, and the gruesome obsession takes over from there. You gotta love it!
For real – DJ N3RV0US has really killed this one. From what I’ve read about the dude, he likes to conjure up some kind of storyline to inspire what comes out in his music, and this is an exceptional example of why that would be a good thing. I mean…don’t get me wrong, I’d still keep him under close surveillance and likely on the no-fly list after hearing this single, but as far as the music itself is concerned, this is very cool stuff that feels ridiculously fresh to find inside of the Electro-based realm. Usually it’s all very bright & upbeat stuff…you know…music that makes you wanna dance, and taps into the carefree lifestyle that it emulates…but…“You Better Run” will have you permanently looking over your shoulder and covering your drinks at the bar from now on! How’s that for the ol’ switcheroo? You didn’t see that coming did ya?
So look…there’s a whole lot going right here. Particularly, the approach from DJ N3RV0US is a winner. If everyone took the time to really consider some kind of new storyline and angle to write their music in, we’d have a whole lot less music about chicks and cars on this planet of ours. And incidentally, I’d be a helluva lot happier as a music critic because a life spent listening would be a lot less redundant if you all prioritized uniqueness like DJ N3RV0US is doing with “You Better Run.” It’s freakishly brilliant, it’s vividly GRAPHIC too, and all-in-all, I’m completely stoked about what I hear in this single, especially when you factor in that DJ N3RV0US is a relatively new producer on the scene. Dude’s already tapped into what could very well carve out a permanent place inside the industry that he’ll thrive within over the years to follow. Obviously he won’t be able to get away with just creating a track about murder and mayhem every single time he wants to put out a song…at least not without the cops starting to come by & check on him regularly…but he CAN definitely continue to put this level of thought and consideration into his creativity. If he does, combined with his technical skills, there’s no ceiling for the future of his career.
Would I change anything? Is “You Better Run” completely perfect? I mean…if it’s not, it’s pretty damn close y’all. I felt like for the most part, the lyrics are the star of the show here – and when DJ N3RV0US shows us his best, he’s beyond fantastic. If I felt like there was any opportunity for him to improve on what he’s created here though, it’s actually in the same area. You’ll find most of the lyrics are nothing short of remarkable…great ideas, imaginative imagery, and jarring concepts. When he’s in that mode, it’s clearly obvious, because the lyrics are THAT amazing. Having said that, you’ll feel a bit of push/pull in that regard, as some of the words will also come out entirely ordinary and feel a lot less inspired too. In those particular moments when it comes to “You Better Run,” I feel like DJ N3RV0US is able to bail himself out by having a great beat and catchy Electro-melody that covers him in those spots. Like, for example, by comparison to the brilliant way this song starts, I’d have been tempted to throw out the entire verse around the 2:15 mark because of how ‘normal’ it seems by comparison, you know what I mean? I’m not saying it doesn’t still fit – honestly, it does, it fits fine – but it’s also not flashing the same level of flair & finesse that DJ N3RV0US proved to be capable right from the very first words you hear in this song either, you feel me? Like anyone at the start of their career, we all have room and opportunity to grow…and we should all want that, otherwise there’s nowhere else to go but down. The music and the vocals on “You Better Run” are perfect if I’m being real with ya…I’ve got no qualms there, even if I’d tell ya that there’s a lot less uniqueness in those aspects than you’ll find in the lyricism of this single.
So don’t get me wrong…I’m not complaining about a damn thing I’ve heard here so much as I’m just observing objectively and thinking about all the places an artist like DJ N3RV0US could potentially go from here. As always, I’m doing what I do to challenge the guy to really dig deep and keep the focus as sharp as the knives he’d need to cut someone up suitcase-small for the travel purposes he’s implied on “You Better Run.” I’m here to encourage this wonderful dose of musical mischief to continue forward at full speed, believe me…this single is as catchy as it is deadly, and it’s a major WIN for DJ N3RV0US y’all. A ton of people out there are gonna be digging this song and dancing to it long before they really have a close listen and realize what it’s actually about, and I freakin’ LOVE that! This dude sounds determined to do things very differently with his music, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that a person capable of making a song like “You Better Run” has the potential to take their career to the limit…and long beyond.
Find out more about DJ N3RV0US at the official page at Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/dj_n3rv0u5
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