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“You know it’s cruel, know exactly what you dooo”

A few notes are usually all it takes. On Fia James’s “batman”, it was simply the pre-chorus.

Her falsetto tumbles through hopeful acoustic chords. From there, the Brooklyn-based artist slips into a shrewdly written chorus – lamenting on an addictive, unhealthy relationship where the power dynamic is all out of whack.

“Acting reckless

You’ll turn it into comedy

But I’m the Joker

A fool to your needs”

Playfully, the relationship is framed by the timeless comic-book duel between Batman and the Joker. But instead of high-speed chases and explosions, it plays out through masquerading and psychological sleight of hand. Relationship issues like these are as old as time, and Fia does a great job of positioning herself as the reactionary member. All the while, her lover pulls the puppet strings.

That said, it takes two to tango, and Fia exhibits self-awareness as the track unfolds. The line “burnt my hand in the flame, now I’ll dance in the dark” reveals someone conscious of their role in the cycle, recognising the predicament they’re in, yet still unable to walk away.

Sadly, by the outro, it feels as though Fia has resigned herself to the fact that, despite the mistreatment, she’ll probably stay. Blowing the relationship apart no longer feels like relief but rather a worse kind of emptiness.

Engineered by Luke Niccoli, the track is dotted with moments that feel like tipping over the drop on a roller coaster, mirroring the peaks and troughs of the tumultuous partnership.

Fia James, stay tapped in. “batman” beneath.

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