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Photo: Mishi Mode

“stranger danger!” is a severely self-aware '80s-centric tune, solidifying hemlocke springs’ dominance as indie pop’s next one up.

It can be a daunting task to follow up tracks like “girlfriend” and “gimme all ur luv,” which racked up millions of streams and sent the North Carolina native’s popularity into the stratosphere. Luckily, Hemlocke Springs knows just the antidote to cure the nerves: staying absolutely weird.

“stranger danger!” is a song that oozes odd, demanding your attention to keep up with her unraveling. With intricate lyricism and character at play, you’re not quite sure who the enemy is, and that’s the whole game. It’s not every day that someone wordplays XML or reimagines Peaches & Herb's lyrics, but Hemlocke Springs isn’t one to abide by the norm.

Hidden within the pockets of her theatrical artistry is true genius. Hemlocke Springs springs is absolutely brilliant with words, able to articulate nuanced ideas about the prison of capitalism in a way that’s still colorful and dance-inducing. She never lets her subject matter dull the enchantment of her work, which is why she has the internet at large so easily hypnotized.

Hemlocke Springs cannot be anything but herself, and her quirkiness is our Achilles heel. Whether it’s because she’s got too many thoughts to shout out or because she’s contractually obligated, the anticipation for the inevitable album to follow only deepens with every single she releases.

Watch the "stranger danger!" video below: