2017 saw a number of pop artists take extremely experimental chances with their sound. Kesha went country, Taylor went electro and Selena went minimal. With the beginning of a new year, more artists have already begun their experimentation. One such artist is Troye Sivan. The YouTube star turned pop star stuck to a pretty signature electro-pop sound until this week with the release of the second release off his forthcoming sophomore album.

Following the release of the album’s lead single ‘My My My!’, Sivan dropped ‘The Good Side’ exactly a week after. Sonically, the track is an acoustic pop ballad with slight electro-pop tinges. An almost complete 180° from the sound that dominated all his prior releases, ‘The Good Side’ makes one wonder why Sivan has yet to go in this direction before. The soft strum of the acoustic guitar provides a perfect backdrop for Sivan’s haunting vocal. His lyrical ability is front and center on the track as he lays his melancholy and heartbreak bare for the world to see as he apologizes to his lover. The latter half of the track harkens back to his roots as the track builds from the tender and sorrowful ballad with a pounding drum line underlying a distorted chorus of backing vocals.

Ultimately, Sivan’s transition from electro and dance-pop to sweet Mumford and Sons-esque acoustic is seamless and masterfully executed. The mismatched construction of ‘My My My!’ and ‘The Good Side’, from both a production and lyrical viewpoint, makes the wait for the entire record even more exciting, as his sonic direction becomes unclear. If the first two releases are anything to go on, whatever that direction is, it will be immaculate.

Make sure to check out the track below and let us know what you think:

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