april june's 'baby's out of luck again' Is a Cinematic, Emotional Whirlwind
Photo: Ana Albores Prejigueiro
Dream-pop darling april june’s sophomore EP is here and it shines bright in all its melancholy and art film-inspired glory. baby’s out of luck again is a journey through the past and future, combining june’s references and unique point of view to create a mystical listening experience from start to finish. After releasing a slew of pre-EP singles, like the title track and “sweeter than drugs,” the story feels complete as it ends on the cinematic “carry you on my broken wings”.
Throughout the project, themes of longing, doom, toxicity, and uncertainty come together to weave a tragically beautiful story that evokes a million feelings at once. april june’s music could not exist without its film influences, citing classics such as True Romance, The Virgin Suicides, My Night At Maud’s, Le Beau Mariage, and more as heavy inspirations.
The EP opens with its title track, setting the scene for the journey listeners are set to embark on. The somber “starstruck” follows it up, introducing themes of fame and idolization that are explored throughout the project. Over a consistent nostalgic instrumental, april june sings heartbreaking lines like, “Would you pick me if you had to choose?” The track adopts an underlying tone of melancholia, representing being in love with someone who’s adored by the masses.
Things pick up sonically in “it’s all my fault” and “emotional problems,” introducing a more energetic tempo, '80s synths, and even some hyperpop-esque elements. The tracks carry on themes of being burned by your lover, but feeling like you have no right to feel hurt because you knowingly choose toxic love. In the electric synth-laced “pretty like a rockstar,” listeners are transported into a movie as april june sings about wanting to stand out from the rest of the crowd.
baby’s out of luck again ends with “carry you on my broken wings”, which is accompanied by a gorgeous, moody music video. The conclusion of this seven-track project, this single represents the repercussions of falling in love with someone you idolize. april june risks her own well-being for this person and is left to ponder the consequences. The stunning music video was heavily shot in Turin and inspired by the Giallo genre and iconic Italian horror filmmaker Dario Argento.
With baby’s out of luck again, april june’s cinematic vision becomes realized in her second full project since her debut in 2020. In this perfect soundtrack for summer slowly turning into fall, it’s clear that april june is a master at evoking a cinematic experience through her musical world.
Listen to baby’s out of luck again below:
