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Lychee (EP)
Lychee is the third extended play by New Zealand singer-songwriter Benee. Released on 4 March 2022 by Republic Records, it reached the top 15 of the New Zealand Albums Chart. DevelopmentMuch of Lychee was developed and recorded in Los Angeles with a number of well-known producers, specifically Kenny Beats, Greg Kurstin, and Rostam.[2][3][4] Benee had never previously collaborated with the latter two musicians.[5] She also initially worked on the project in her home country of New Zealand with regular collaborator Josh Fountain.[2][3][5] However, she preferred engaging in the creative process in Los Angeles due to stringent COVID-19 lockdown measures in place at the time in New Zealand, which made her feel hopeless and at a loss for song ideas.[2][3] She additionally considered collaborating with Fountain, though a positive experience, to not push her out of her comfort zone enough.[5] Benee named the EP after the fruit of the same name as she was having trouble choosing a satisfactory title, so ultimately simply went with the name of something she loved.[5] SongsThe EP opener, "Beach Boy," was described by Benee as a "pure fantasy" set in Los Angeles. It lyrically discusses the conflicting feelings of the early stages of a relationship, where one may simultaneously be contempt with being alone and also still crave romance.[1][2][4] Its indie sound was inspired by The Japanese House.[5] Second track "Soft Side" contains hyperpop and house influences, while Benee made "Hurt You, Gus" to channel the energy she felt during New Zealand's lockdowns.[2][3] "Never Ending" incorporates elements of rock music and is followed by "Marry Myself," which has a lighter tone that is infused with drum and bass.[2] "Doesn't Matter" is a "mellow" song surrounding Benee's attempts to cope with her mental health issues, including an OCD diagnosis, and how people often misunderstand the realities of mental health problems.[2][5][6] It is another song she created to channel her lockdown anxiety and was one of the first made for Lychee overall.[2][3][5] The final track, "Make You Sick," is a "trippy" experimental electronic song with freestyled lyrics.[1][2] Originally thirteen minutes in length and intended for a New Zealand runway show prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was eventually cut down to just under seven minutes.[1] Prior to the release of Lychee, two of its tracks were released as singles: "Doesn't Matter" in October 2021 and "Beach Boy" in February 2022.[1][3][4][6] "Never Ending" was released as a third single concurrently with the EP.[3] Track listing
PersonnelCredits adapted from TIDAL.[7] Musicians
Technical
Charts
References
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