Album Review: mxmtoon - 'liminal space'
A young musical entrepreneur embracing the warmth and gentle nature of bedroom pop, mxmtoon has returned with another helping of lo-fi hits. Despite being this notable face of social media, mxmtoon has maintained her toned-down and low-key identity as she introduced her third album, liminal space.
Opening with the introductory piece ‘dramatic escape’ and the heartbreak-tinted ‘i hate texas’, mxmtoon - the pseudonym of YouTuber Maia - has solidified herself in the corner of the industry she found herself in over five years ago. When an artist has found their sound, it is their choice whether or not to hone it and make it as strong as they can; or they can change it and switch things up if they find it too overly saturated or something that has ‘played out’. For mxmtoon, since her debut full-length The Masquerade, she has found herself right at home in what is titled as bedroom pop. Indie pop. Lo-fi. However one may label it, it’s soft and it’s sweet and even sometimes it can be sad - and can be a relaxing change from the punk and alternative sounds of the younger side of the industry. With an acoustic guitar or a ukulele in hand, singing about failed love or low self-esteem or a world that is destined to push the right people down.
The sensitive tones of music and lyrics are what make mxmtoon as well-known and well-loved as she is. When it’s singing about wanting to grow closer to someone by any means in ‘number one boy’, or taking a step back on relationships after one too many failures in ‘passenger side’, or being determined to be independent and fearful it may never happen in ‘now’s not the time’, there is a tale being told and words that are going to resonate with listeners in one way or another. mxmtoon has managed to find ways to sum up just one more human experience in a three-minute recital track after track, and it’s only been perfected with the creation and release of liminal space. It’s that down-to-earth personality and artistic relatability that made her who she is, and those are elements that can be hard to come by in more recent times in the industry.
Music truly thrives on heart, soul, and emotion; and mxmtoon has all three in spades.
Overall, liminal space is just a natural progression for the young influencer and as someone who hasn’t even cracked a quarter of a century in age, she has gathered this sense of security and confidence. It really is a testament to the younger talent that are finding their way up the ladder and into the public eye (and ear) easier than ever before.
The next aim for mxmtoon is just to keep being herself. Her sweet-hearted, softly sung, ukulele-accompanied self. She has found what she needed to and she did it quickly and effectively, and is showing that she can utilise her skills and create art that will bring together every young person. Everyone who has ever cried, smiled, cheered and booed their own life’s events. There is so much someone can do with so little - one should always use their own liminal space.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
