"Wake Up" starts off very chill and immediately shifts to an uppity mood once it kicks off. I’m not sure what iHATEJON’s influences are but I really thought the intro would lead to something similar to Joji’s vibe. Instead, it takes us on a musical journey that feels like a lovechild of Rex Orange County’s Loving Is Easy and a whole slew of Post Malone songs—an interesting mix to say the least.
iHATEJON describes the music as alternative hip-hop which is quite surprising because his influences are highly varied. You can hear hints of Mac Miller and J. Cole on his tracks but he also identifies a lot with Kid Cudi and Dominic Fike, hence the interesting sound.
The track itself is a simple mix of synths, pads, and drums—highlighting the vocals even more. The chill nature of the melodies lends to a better appreciation of the lyrics. It’s the vocal presentation that lends to what is described as alternative hip-hop. A fast slew of words delivered over a chill melody is what this song is about. To flip the mix, even more, the backing eerie vocals lend to the ambiance the song creates.
As I said, it’s a whole mix of chill and pop at the same time. The beat is fast enough to be danceable, but also, the instruments help in keeping the mood just toned down. I’d like to think it’s something that one would play during a chill house party for a rest without totally killing the floor—not especially with how fast the words come.
The track is a little explicit in nature—with a few swear words here and there—but it does not really give off an angsty vibe. Instead, it helps color the song with a few expletives sneaked in within the fast-tracked verses just to reinforce the song’s message.
I look forward to iHATEJON’s next songs and I’m sure he will serve a different flavor with how unique his work on his music is.
Listen to "Wake Up" on Spotify here:
You can follow iHATEJON on Instagram here: