Breakups suck, but that’s like the most Captain Obvious answer you can give someone. However, what happens after the breakup ends up being an exploration of self, in all the self’s forms. Alex Rapp, an alt-pop artist originally from the DMV, explores one of these forms in “I Shut Down.” The singer/songwriter discusses the fears and questions that can arise from a post-breakup hookup/rebound. Granted, the song is not just about the act. In fact, it’s more about the feelings about the whole shebang when it comes to, as she questions, “how can [people hookup] without having all this terrible sh*t happen[ing] again.”

It’s a loaded question and a loaded song, one that doesn’t give a universal answer. Alex’s lyrics ponder if she can even be intimate, horny or not. I mean, let’s be real. We’re all human and many of us have intimate desires and needs. However, not too many of us can truly compartmentalize casual sex as just a hookup. Sure, we can go into it looking for…a release. We may come out of it with more questions than answers.

I really love the vulnerability Rapp showcases here, as it helps the lyrics cut through that much stronger. The instrumentation is also a strong suit. It builds up then finally blossoms into this eargasmic treat while blends a lot of sounds, instruments and such all at once. Personally, I think it’s kind of reminiscent of that pondering before and sometimes after a hookup. The song then winds down, quite literally, before restarting in a somewhat serene manner. I feel that the song itself is an allusion to that desire, the act, the confusion one sometimes feels before and after said act, and even the PNC (you know what I mean; this is, after all, still a PG-13-like site, writing-wise).

Check out the track below and support dope music in all its forms. This song is slated to appear on Alex’s upcoming EP, due out in October.