From its opening seconds, Take Me To The Place sounds like quite a derivative uke-driven track. Ukulele fingerpicking with an ambient nature-filled soundscape (complete with chirping birds) is a familiar element in such acoustic pop tracks. But then as Pune-based singer-songwriter Firuzeh starts singing, one starts getting the grasp of the song and it turns out to be quite a pleasant surprise.

Again, Firuzeh’s lo-fi-like calming vocals (that can be comparable to bedroom pop artists like Clairo) might not be the most different sound but she succeeds at executing this erstwhile familiar context pretty well, to the point where Take Me To A Place doesn’t take its listener to a cliched territory. The melancholic instrumentals, coupled with the vocalist’s harmonies and layers are subtle yet impactful in creating an extremely blissful atmosphere. The chorus’s vocal stretches and a harmony-filled interlude near the second minute make for a relaxing listen. 

However, despite the tranquil nature of the track, Firuzeh doesn’t shy away from relying on her lyrics to express her insecurities and frustration. The hook’s refrain, ‘Take me to a place where I don’t have to think or feel. Take me to a place where everything isn’t real’ aptly conveys the sense of escapism that she yearns for.

And this is an emotion that might be interpreted differently by different listeners as the pandemic from the previous year has made many yearn for a simpler past. The interpretations can be several as we all go through such phases when the positive toxicity of some nostalgic moment or the other strikes us. 

But then again, we also know that staying stuck up in these memories can be an exercise in futility. This too is conveyed in Firuzeh’s lyrics as all through the song, she also laments on how she lacks the strength to start all over again. All in all, it’s a universal emotion. Humans can and might never be perfect beings. And their insecurities and weaknesses might want them to revisit their past and rebuild themselves. 

Verdict: Subverts familiar tropes of a ‘ ukulele indie-pop song’ with honest lyrics and meditative harmonies. 

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