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Arcade Stories deliver ‘Ashtray Boutique’, their ‘heaviest song’ to date

Arcade Stories is the lovechild of Adam Djenson, a thoughtful creative who evolved from soft rock to alt-rock, nu-metal, and grunge.

Before we’d even plugged in to listen to Arcade Stories‘ latest track (Ashtray Boutique), Adam’s creativity was already on full display. His song title is a vivid juxtaposition of the “beautiful and the disgusting”.

But what would Ashtray Boutique sound like? His last offering, Submerse, was a cinematic and symbolic journey, so it’s safe to say we had high hopes. We weren’t disappointed.

Arcade Stories

Ashtray Boutique 
opens the fold with a blend of trap, live drumming, riffing, and synth arpeggios. The upbeat, exciting arrangement makes the song feel like pop (which is far from a criticism), but the high-gain electric guitar chords argue a different case. At its roots, this is heavy rock and Arcade Stories’ heaviest track to date.

Lyrically, Adam opts for a vague story, enticing listeners to attach their own experiences to the track. The concept, however, is very interesting, and a personal experience from Adam. “It’s like having a conversation with yourself, but you always cut yourself short. Every line feels like a half-line. The conclusions you draw are in your hands now.

In terms of vocal performance, Ashtray Boutique introduces screams and heavier vocals, creating some memorable moments of tension and release. A good singer should always have a few styles of delivery up his belt, and Arcade Stories just added another notch.

Ashtray Boutique comes with a music video directed by The Lost & Wild Noir. Featuring guitar-shredding, moody lighting, and naturist escapades, it’s a visual fit to the tone of the track.

Listen to more from Arcade Stories below: