Mitski’s new album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, is a powerful and compelling punch to the face. Released on Sep. 15, the album already gained publicity for being the newest release in her discography.
Mitski rose to fame in the mid to late 2010’s after releasing albums Puberty 2 and Be the Cowboy. With 25.1 million monthly Spotify listeners and climbing, Mitski has become a popular fixation for teenagers across the world, aided by popular influence on TikTok and Instagram. People love her for her soulful music and resonating lyrics.
Mitski’s latest release is not just an overrated sequel to her other more popular albums, as some may believe.
Upon listening to the album, you are completely transported to another dimension entirely. The flow and rhythm of the music is engaging and compels the listener to feel the depth and the darkness of each emotion demonstrated in each song. The flow and rhythm is perfectly intertwined with the soft, blissful feeling of a river or a powerful gust of wind through the trees. Each song shares a new and gripping emotion that pulls the listener in, devouring your soul and mind as you feel completely paralyzed by the tempo and irresistible beat of the song.
Mitski’s voice itself is enough to keep you interested; but the music and additional background sound overwhelms your senses and pushes you into a state of euphoric awe shared in between the verses and beat. “Bug Like an Angel,” exemplifies this, and adds a bit of contrast against the meaning of the lyrics by incorporating chorus singers to give the illusion of a symphony.
Her voice is a quick jab of creativity and ingenuity. Her expellant vocals are practically perfectly curated – the pure control she possesses with her dynamics and tone is incredible, and leaves you breathless. The metaphors used in each song title are repeated within the lyrics to provide a concise and potent message. A message, of which, is hard to ignore. Whether you understand the message or not, you can feel the conflicting emotion displayed in the words.
The imagery throughout her music is enough to swallow the listener into an oblivious reality, which gives them a perfect and clear chance to create different scenarios that are relatable to their life. Though the messages can be interpreted in many different ways, there are large themes to her music. “I Don’t Like My Mind” deals with thoughts of regret and having to sit with yourself after committing a wrongdoing. “I Love Me After You” shows how Mitski must come to love herself, even after each offense she has committed against herself and others.
The reality of her music connects to the thoughts and emotions many people experience daily, which is how her relatability represents a community wholly. Though her popularity is typically seen in the younger generation, people of different ages, backgrounds, and cultures can appreciate Mitski’s impact.
Mitski always manages to connect with the audience; thanks to the pure passion and hard work put into each song and each tiny detail of her music. She has always been a creative and effective artist, and “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” is simply another example of the pure lyrical genius Mitski has proved herself to be.
You will never find another artist as mind-numbingly beautiful as Mitski. Her music itself should be placed in a museum so generations to come can revel at her insane lyrical grace. The album seeps with frustration, depression, anger, and yearning, yet drips with love, happiness, serenity and softness. It takes an incredible amount of talent to put emotions into words, yet Mitski manages to sum up each tormenting emotion in a 32 minute array of songs.
