Rex Orange County hasn’t released a single in a while, his last being Valentine’s-day drop ‘New House’, but the wait has been worth it with the synth-y ‘10/10.’

The song is breezy and infectious, because if there’s one thing Rex is ridiculously good at, it’s creating easy-listening earworms. His voice is wonderfully smooth and super distinctive, so it’s always a bit disappointing when an artist with such a rich, unique tone chooses to synthesise their voice, but the robot-like sound in ‘10/10’ isn’t jarring – it works within the context of the single. Rex’s decision to warp his voice in such a way goes well with the use of thin synths and upbeat drums, energising the already upbeat lyrics further. 

Rex reflects on the unhappiness he’s had to overcome and the noise he has had to block out in order to stay true to himself in ‘a year that nearly sent [him] off the edge.’ On the track, he yearns to be home and laments how he is unable to be with his oldest friends. But it’s not a sad song, as he praises himself as the ‘10/10’ because he ‘did it again’ and ‘took control and turned [his] s**t round.’ It’s a single about backing yourself, and a couple of listens in, you find yourself imbued with the same resilience that Rex sings about having, spurred on by his own ability to bounce back. 

The artist has not explicitly said that ‘10/10’ is a part of an upcoming album, but considering he tweeted ‘REX3’ the other day, we can hope for more honest songwriting and beats that you can’t help but sway to. 

10/10 is available to stream now via AWAL