Cayla Masters
Can you believe that it has been ten years since the Michalka sisters dropped new music? (Well, not including 2014’s brief 78violet moniker). On Friday, the former Disney Channel duo unveiled their revival track “Take Me.” As they have been out of the scene for a decade, no one was expecting the magnificent tune that quietly and casually snuck up and snatched all of our wigs.
Let me start by saying that I was an avid Aly & AJ listener throughout my childhood. I’ll even go as far as admitting “Division,” the most underrated bop off of Insomniatic, was my ringback tone for a long period. As we grow up and our styles change, we fail to recognize that the styles of our favorite artists are going to change too. So, when an act comes back with what appears to be an entirely new sound, many are quick to judge and compare it to old material, myself included, no matter how much I try and envision a clean slate. But, when I listened to “Take Me” for the first time, I instantly took note that Aly & AJ did indeed go back in time, just not to the 2000s.
Everything comes back full circle and this new single is 80s inspired synth-pop, a vibe that doesn’t get nearly enough recognition in mainstream music today, seemingly lost in all of the overdone, generic beats. Their vocals still convey the moody, teenage angst we have always adored from the pair and are equipped with the purest harmonies, textured melodies and 801 drums.
The girls can be heard straightforwardly shouting “I know that you would want it/ If I could sink my teeth into you/ First you gotta ask me out!” Though there is a minimal amount of lyrics, it comes to be the perfect amount. Production couldn’t be any more flawless as well, uniquely displaying Aly & AJ’s current day artistry, which sparks similarities to Carly Rae’s Emotion. If you appreciate A+ edgy, shimmering bliss, you’re bound to have this single on repeat while we sit and impatiently wait for the sisters’ next hit to drop.
In a press release following the fresh song, the sisters discussed how pressure led to their decision to take a hiatus from music. “Aly and I felt personally discouraged by music in general,” AJ explained. “We still had so much to prove to people, even though we had made a mark in the industry. It honestly was overwhelming,”
“People have been wondering what took so long — and it sounds horrible — but music became an enemy to be honest,” Aly added. We were scared to write, we didn’t like what was coming out of our instruments — it felt like we weren’t going anywhere.”
It may have felt like they weren’t going anywhere, but these ladies are back and they’re here to stay! If you haven’t done so already, make sure to stream “Take Me” below.
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