Why ‘Toro’ by Remi Wolf is The Perfect Song
A track review
Toro comprises so many interpolations the single cannot help but be infectious. Every frame is an interpolation, a series of catchy mini melodies that coalesces into an extremely replayable song. It is the melody that is the most memorable part of any song, so of course a song that is essentially a bunch of melodies will be inherently memorable.
Let me give a few examples of these mini melodies. In the song’s hook, there is a revving sound that shares a sonic resemblance to a bull’s snort; this little sound adds a memorable feature to the hook. This revving is memorable as it creates sonic diversity within the song and helps keep up the energy in an already energetic track. Another existent mini-melody is the fact that this song has a rare pre-chorus. In most songs, the pre-chorus may come off as creatively bankrupt or may not be distinct enough from the verses or hook. But in Toro, the pre-chorus is not just a bridge but could have stood on as a hook on its own if the song had been structured differently. A single hook within a song is already quite memorable, but a song can be made more memorable with two hooks.
This song also forces replayability by not ending on either ‘hook’. By not ending on either infectious hook, the song demands to be heard again so you can have that dopamine rush of hearing the catchy hooks. This song is built around and on its hooks, the verses act as bridges and barely as content. Still, these bridges are not filler but are a chance for Remi to leave another satisfying mini melody when she powerfully sings, “Give me what I want!” There are simply so many moments within this track that the listener has to look forward to.
This song falls under the same detail dichotomy as Hello Kitty; take away any detail and this song loses its character but adds attributes and the song becomes over bloated. This song is on the perfect edge before being too full sonically, it is at the very brim of the without overflowing in the best way possible. It is also a quick song without flying by too fast putting the listener just on the edge of being satisfied without also feeling that the song flew by too quickly.
Lyrically the song is not deep, nor does it need to be. The lyrics are straightforward and playful, there is no question as to the thematics of the song. This form of lyricism allows one to enjoy the song in a purely sonic sense. I am saying this as a typical proponent of deep lyricism. Toro is perfect as in being the perfect pop song. It is everything a listener could want out of a pop song. Remi is a master of vocal performance mixed with song craft in both the indie and pop genres. Yet, Toro is where her pure pop styling reaches their pinnacle.
