Serotonin Dreams, the major label debut album from anonymous at-pop star, BoyWithUke is a perfectly candid, emotional, vulnerable and most importantly catchy as hell release. While it only clocks in at exactly thirty minutes long, Serotonin Dreams manages to cover a vast array of emotions and topics, from falling for someone who doesn’t feel the same way about you, moving on from a failed relationship, calling out toxic friends and more. Although short, the album feels incredibly full – there’s a little something for everyone in it.
The bright, summery instrumentals and simplistic production on Serotonin Dreams are the perfect backdrop to BoyWithUke’s unique voice and perfectly honest lyrics. Songs like “Far Away” and “Long Drives” are sticky sweet, with BoyWithUke professing his love for someone, expressing “please don’t break my heart” while “Let Me Down” finds him longing to run away with them. Not every song on the album is as bright and hopeful as the first three songs, though, with the vulnerable “She Said No” telling the all too familiar story of crossed wires and falling for someone who doesn’t feel the same way about you. Similarly, “Heart Of Ice” is about having feelings for someone who isn’t good for you in lines like “I like that you’re not nice to me / I love your heart of ice”.
Each song, regardless of the emotion or lyrical content behind it, is delivered with BoyWithUke’s signature vibrant songwriting, finger plucked ukulele and catchy as hell choruses. On some songs, it feels like a celebration and on others, it’s a perfect juxtaposition of the light and dark themes of the album. Great examples of this are “IDGAF” featuring blackbear and the powerful closer “Toxic”, which finds BoyWithUke letting go of shitty, toxic friends. The album’s shining star is easily “Understand”, which has some of the heaviest lyrical content, delivered with a spectacular flow.
With only three songs on the album clocking in at over three minutes, BoyWithUke hits you with rapidfire emotions throughout Serotonin Dreams, and while you might feel like you have whiplash by the time it comes to an end, it’ll leave you wanting to listen to it all over again. Complete with powerful, poignant lyricism, creative songwriting and choruses that you’ll find yourself humming hours after listening to it, Serotonin Dreams is a massive success.