For The Sun And Air

Little Dragon featuring Kali Uchis “Are You Feeling Sad?”

“Are You Feeling Sad?” is a very noble sort of song, the kind that exists on every level to console the depressed and stimulate joy. It’s basically a very mid-90s type of house/R&B hybrid, but with a relatively relaxed tempo that sounds uplifting rather than overbearing. The keyboards have a bright tone, but they use it somewhat sparingly so every chord change feels like a little jolt of serotonin. Yukimi Nagano and Kali Uchis keep their lyrics simple and direct, offering words of encouragement and kindness to someone who seems to be mourning a loss. Uchis is at her best here when she grounds her words in her own experiences – “my sorrows have a million layers and I’ve been told I wear them well” – and finding peace in simple pleasures, like feeling the sun on your skin, and the smell in the air after rain.

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