INDY RAP ART

“WAVE” by MaxMilly Review
By Bri Lamontagne

I know I’ve made it clear that I enjoy songs more when I can understand what’s being said. The beat of this song is slow, making it easy to understand the lyrics which is fantastic. If not for the back beat and standard rap reverb, I might not even recognize it as a rap song. The narrator does also mention that it’s a rap song with slow lyrics in the second verse.

The first verse describes a night spent with another person – possibly in a romantic way, but possibly also just a group of friends traversing their hometown. Either way, they are having fun in a laid back manner. I say laid back because the lyrics describe an in-the-moment decision, by saying “I know this place but Imma pass by/I hope this ain’t for the last time”. The second verse discusses the song in itself and the rapper in context of the contemporary rap scene.

The chorus is somewhat vague, which helps it fit with and tie both verses together. I enjoy the repetition throughout the refrain and how it plays with the senses and the concept of a “wave”: which could be a metaphor for ocean waves, waves of light and energy, waves of sound, an arm wave of greeting, or to show excitement during an event. The concept of the chorus seems to be living for the moment, as in lines, “we will live forever tonight” and “we gonna have fun tonight”. The first verse connects to this idea in a very direct way, whereas the second verse connects in a more metaphorical way of living by your own standards and following your dreams, at least career-wise, and not letting anyone else stand in your way.

All in all it’s an easy song to listen to on repeat, whether or not you generally enjoy the rap style of music.