Is it love that makes us glow like a ‘Cocoon’? LA based duo Mike and Mandy share their stories about the Dynamic of the Long-term Couples in Their New Track. This indie-pop song may look like just another love song, but it is much more than that—it is about one single couple with moments that is halfway between hope and confusion.
“Cocoon” tells a very familiar story of many when people try to get through the trials and tribulations of a long-term relationship. It is very much a discussion between two lovers who are in doubt about their relationship, but one is clinging on to the light at the end of the tunnel trying to get the other person to hold on. Mandy has elegant voice, the music is smooth, but there is melancholly in the vocal, whatever hardships people experience while being in long-term relationships.
This is proven by the fact that the song is as complicated as it is with regards to its theme. Underneath a somewhat depressing narrative, “Cocoon” is full of vibrant soft jangly guitars, gentle synths, and a catchy nu-disco beat. Just like in the lyrics, the verses are played in minor key while the main choruses are bright, with the major chords. These changes effectively grow a multi-faceted tapestry of sound that cut across styles while maintaining continuity with the dream pop origins of the band, with a little splashroom synth pop, funk, and even some psych trip pop influences towards the tracks.
The synths too are gear with the 80s inspired touch up coupled with hints of vaporwave give the track a warm feel while the slappy bass gives a modern funk feel. The beginning of the song also features short melodies played on the piano – arpeggios, which are barely noticeable, together with quieter psychedelic details that create depth and make the song quite intersting on multiple listens.
Mike and Mandy, using their actual-life experiences of a couple, have composed a song which has moments of hesitation, moments of expectation, moments of decision-making to those who find themselves in love. “Cocoon” is a colourful yet reflexive song that exhibits unadulterated joy of commitment in long-term partnerships but also the longing and feeling of stagnation in those partnerships. It also has the youthful but timelessness feel the project was searching for throughout.
