As she prepares for her debut EP release, YAZ gives us a delightful end to the summer with her new bop, ‘American Girls’.

‘American Girls’ isn’t trying to be complicated, it isn’t trying to be anything but what it is, soft, fun, bubble pop. It echoes the sound of something like Benee’s ‘Supalonely’ or Ariana Grande’s more bubbly tracks with YAZ’s wispy, delayed lead vocals and vibrant vocal riffs that pop out of the mix. The catchy, repetitive tune will get permanently etched in your brain, whether you like it or not. This is achieved in a few ways. First, the Juno-like bouncy synth that plays the main progression is interrupted only for dynamic effect, and remains the progression the entirety of the way through the song. Second, the crunchy drums have almost no fill or deviation from the main groove, they feel punchy and in your face, like they’re bursting through the mix to smack you, to “mark their territory” – or so YAZ would have you believe. Finally, the melody and lyrics remain on the same hook for extended periods, with only slight deviations for the short verses. All these amount to a riff that gets ingrained in your brain, one you can’t escape.

‘American Girls’ manages to keep later sections fresh with the addition of different synth and natural instruments, risers, and drum breaks to give a sense of push and pull, so you’re not listening to a flat wall of repetition. You’ll hear this in the short harp that pops into the right of your headspace, the electric guitar that adds the subtle flavor to the main synth, or the waterfall ripples that descend to lead you into the second line of the second verse. They’re fun, however, they don’t necessarily give it as much interest as one might be longing for. It also doesn’t help that the song feels totally compressed, with almost no dynamics in volume.

The track exists in this bright and bubbly sheen, like a lipstick gloss where you can see your own reflection. But it’s not full of excitement and joy, instead it’s much softer and tranquil, ready to be listened to with ease. Because of this, it feels like the perfect way to say goodbye to summer – the fun, free, and flirty season has finally come to an end.