Review: 'Hot Mess' by dodie

‘Hot Mess’ by dodie is a delightfully down-to-earth treat for the soul, the latest of a small series of singles following her acclaimed album ‘Build a Problem’.

Emerging from the depths of ‘early 2010 British YouTubers’, dodie has successfully established herself as a singer-songwriter, crafting tender melodies paired with organically honest lyrics. At only 27, dodie has come a long way from writing songs and filming videos in her bedroom.

Delicately plucked guitar greets your ears, closely followed by the melancholy softness of dodie’s vocals. The soft foley of the guitar strings adds an element of realness and

vulnerability to the track, before swooping cinematic strings cut through the punchiness of the quick tempo, breaking down in the chorus to a foot-tapping swing.

Singing of the ‘not-so-glamorous’ side of reaching 27, we feel the bittersweet through dodie’s gritty and nostalgic lyricism, a staple of dodie’s songwriting. In a world obsessed with youth, it’s refreshing to hear that we all experience the same impending fear of growing up, and this song is an enlivening reminder that despite our best efforts, we never really grow up.