Contingency Song
| "Contingency Song" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Jane Remover | ||||
| from the album Census Designated | ||||
| Released | November 16, 2022 | |||
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| Length |
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| Label | DeadAir | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jane Remover | |||
| Producer(s) | Jane Remover | |||
| Jane Remover singles chronology | ||||
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"Contingency Song" is a song by the American musician Jane Remover. It was first released as a single by DeadAir Records on November 16, 2022. The song was remastered for Remover's second studio album, Census Designated (2023). The two versions of the song differ in length and production. Remover wrote and produced the songs; they mixed the album version, while the single and album versions were mastered by Zeroh and Hector Vega, respectively.
"Contingency Song" is a ballad in the shoegaze and drone genres, built around a persistent buzz, slowed-down sounds of sirens, and howling wind. The lyrics are about a collapsing romantic relationship, self-harm, and the apocalypse. Over the course of the song, the instrumental grows in intensity until it conceals Remover's vocals and ends in near-silence. Music critics praised "Contingency Song" for its atmospheric shoegaze production.
Background and release
[edit]In June 2022, Jane Remover came out as a trans woman, announced their new stage name, and released the songs "Royal Blue Walls" and "Cage Girl" via DeadAir Records.[1][2][3] On November 16, 2022, their single "Contingency Song" was released by DeadAir Records.[4][5] It was released alongside a reissue of their debut studio album, Frailty (2021), and an announcement of their first merchandise line. In a press release, Remover described the song's themes as: "Preparing for eventual doomsday. Flirting with death. Finding a difference between being dependent and being selfish."[3]
On August 23, 2023, Remover announced their second studio album, Census Designated, and released the single "Lips". They also revealed the album's track listing on the same day, which included both "Cage Girl" and "Contingency Song".[6] DeadAir Records released Census Designated on October 20; "Contingency Song" appears as its tenth and final track.[7] Remover stated that since the song's creation, they knew it would be the album's final track. As Remover wanted the album to sound as if it were going from dusk to dawn, they felt "Contingency Song" was able to represent dawn; in their words: "'Contingency Song' ends when the sun goes up."[8]
Composition
[edit]The album version of "Contingency Song" differs in production from the single version.[6] The album version is 6 minutes and 26 seconds long,[9] while the single version is 5 seconds longer.[5] Remover wrote and produced both versions; they mixed the album version, while the single and album versions were mastered by Zeroh and Hector Vega, respectively.[9][10] "Contingency Song" is a ballad in the shoegaze and drone genres.[4][3][11] It departs from a traditional rock and roll song structure as it contains no drums; the song is built around a persistent buzz, slowed-down sounds of sirens, and howling wind.[3][11] The instrumental gradually intensifies throughout most of the track until it conceals Remover's vocals and ends in near-silence.[4][11]
Lyrically, "Contingency Song" is based around themes of the apocalypse and the collapse of a romantic relationship ("I said I'm not enough / Please don't hurt me"),[3] as well as images of self-harm ("I pour the boiling water on my hand / I still feel enough to touch myself").[11] Pitchfork's Allison Harris compared the latter line to similar lyrics from the song "Ditch a Body in the Laundry" (2016) by Laura Les and wrote that "Contingency Song" has "the liminal atmosphere of an airport terminal" and a "gloomy climate".[11] In a review of Census Designated for the same website, Kieran Press-Reynolds thought that the track has a "sparse winter horizon".[12] Madelyn Dawson of Paste called "Contingency Song" a "brooding final track" for Census Designated.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]Upon its release, "Contingency Song" received positive reviews from music critics. Chris DeVille of Stereogum dubbed it a "phenomenal shoegaze ballad of sorts" and praised how the song builds up smoothly and without losing momentum.[4] Harris similarly complimented the atmospheric production and the way the song progressed.[11] Raphael Helfand from The Fader selected "Contingency Song" as a "Song You Need"; he felt its drum-less production and departure from a traditional rock and roll structure "obliterates any premature allegations of pastiche" for Remover.[3] Brady Brickner-Wood of the same magazine identified it as one of the standout tracks showcasing Remover's artistic reinvention away from bitcrushed electronic music and toward a shoegaze-influenced sound with clean electric guitars.[14] The staff at BrooklynVegan listed "Contingency Song" as one of their favorite tracks of its release week.[15]
Personnel
[edit]Credits are adapted from Bandcamp and the liner notes of Census Designated.[9][10]
- Jane Remover – songwriting, production, mixing (album version)
- Zeroh – mastering (single version)
- Hector Vega – mastering (album version)
References
[edit]- ^ DeVille, Chris (June 27, 2022). "Jane Remover – 'Royal Blue Walls' & 'Cage Girl'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Cohen, Ian (October 16, 2023). "Jane Remover Can't Stop Transforming". Stereogum. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Helfand, Raphael (November 17, 2022). "Song You Need: Jane Remover's Soaring Shoegaze Sadness". The Fader. Archived from the original on April 25, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b c d DeVille, Chris (November 16, 2022). "Jane Remover Shares New Single 'Contingency Song'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Remover, Jane (November 16, 2022). "'Contingency Song'". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on March 1, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Rettig, James (August 23, 2023). "Jane Remover – 'Lips'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Remover, Jane (October 20, 2023). "Census Designated". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ "Underscores and Jane Remover Shoot it Out". Office Magazine. October 26, 2023. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c DeadAir Records (2023). Census Designated (Vinyl liner notes). Jane Remover. DeadAir Records. dA-006.
- ^ a b Remover, Jane (November 16, 2022). "'Contingency Song'". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Harris, Allison (November 16, 2022). "Jane Remover: 'Contingency Song' Track Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Press-Reynolds, Kieran (October 20, 2023). "Jane Remover: Census Designated Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Dawson, Madelyn (October 26, 2023). "Jane Remover Reconstructs Herself Through Trust". Paste. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ Brickner-Wood, Brady (February 2, 2022). "Jane Remover's Outer Space". The Fader. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
- ^ "Our Favorite Songs of the Week (Playlist)". BrooklynVegan. November 18, 2022. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2025.