Lorde - "David"

 (Yes I am a year late here, but I heard this song today for the first time in a while and it really hit me sideways.)

Lorde's seminal classic Melodrama details the collapse of one's first major relationship and all the youthful malaise that comes with it. The album's penultimate track, "Supercut," is one of its most optimistic, as Lorde imagines a highlight reel of the best moments from the relationship gone by. At the same time, she recognizes that this is an idealized, illusory memory.

"David," the climactic final track of last year's Virgin, is that song's unofficial sequel. In it, we see the supercut unravel, the reel spliced as represented by the song's now-famous choppy, oscillating instrumental. The music dances from one ear to the other and grows more distorted as Lorde's positive memories of her ex love disintegrate and she remembers the painful moments in equal measure. "I made you God 'cause it was all that I knew how to do," she mourns, chastising herself. As assured as Lorde is that moving on was the right call, there's still uncertainty in her future, with the song ending on the repeated question, "Am I ever gonna love again?" 

What makes "David" so spectacular is its reflection of theme; as Lorde's image of her ex falls apart, so does the song. Closing Virgin on this note is a breathtaking choice and underscores the best of Lorde's artistry.