“Drown”

Cuco and Clairo both came to prominence as “bedroom” musicians, although to brand their music “bedroom pop” is to confine it. From rides to the grocery store in the CR-V to meditations on hot Cheetos, their songs inhabit a similar DIY musical universe, sharing an attentiveness to everyday details. On “Drown,” Cuco and Clairo’s worlds collide for a hyper-modern take on the breakup song. Their duet is downcast and mellow, and over smoky synths and shuffling drums the pair wallow in heartbreak with the restless energy of young lovers. Cuco starts the song with a laugh, and an almost joking plea for reconciliation—“Come on, man, don’t leave/Fuck/What the fuck”—before yelping out, “Why’d you leave me on read?” Where in the past Clairo’s delivery has been flat, inflected with a sort of cool irony, here she opens up: “I just know that I need some time alone,” she sighs. Her newfound expressiveness works as a perfect complement to Cuco’s half-serious laments. “Drown” is a sad song, to be sure, but Cuco and Clairo never get lost in malaise—this internet age tale of miscommunication isn’t taking itself too seriously.