In her first release since the run of SAWAYAMA singles earlier this year, the surprise release ‘Lucid’ had been kept a secret for two years. Somehow, in the midsts of our second national lockdown of the year, Rina Sawayama has managed to tap into something desperately needed by her audience – a little bit of escapist euphoria.

There is no denying that ‘Lucid’ has a dream-like quality to it. Reminiscent of 2000s house, it is no surprise to learn that the track was produced by Britney Spears and Lady Gaga collaborator Bloodpop. Unapologetic in every sense of the word, the danceability is thrusted in our faces with reckless abandon as Sawayama’s queerness is brought centre-stage in the pre chorus lyric ‘hey girl, you are what I’ve been looking for’. Above all else, ‘Lucid’ appears to be an ownership of selfhood. This dive into queer infatuation from such an upbeat and joyful perspective is undeniably refreshing, making it the perfect single to preface the release of SAWAYAMA’s deluxe edition.

The lyrical comfort of ‘Lucid’ does not seem to stop there. In a tweet in the aftermath of the track’s release, Sawayama poses the question: ‘is #LUCID  about masturbating ????????? maybe !!!!!!!!!!’

is #RinaLUCID about masturbating ????????? maybe !!!!!!!!!!

— RINA SAWAYAMA (@rinasawayama) November 25, 2020

It is an undeniable personal release with an earnest that is in no way inhibited by the genre choice. ‘Lucid’ is yet another example of the versatility of Sawayama’s discography, grounded in the promise of authenticity.

There is no doubt that once clubs reopen, ‘Lucid’ will become a staple of the queer DJ turntables; this single gives to its audience a euphoria that promises to see them through until the bitter end of 2020.

Lucid is available now via Dirty Hit

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