Review by Sylvie Marie
Based out of Seattle, WA, CANNXN (Megan Cannon) is a singer-songwriter who weaves conversational lyrics with vibrant, emotional soundscapes. Born and raised in Puyallup, WA, (a small town South of Seattle), CANNXN is inspired by pop-punk acts like All Time Low and Fall Out Boy and modern alternative acts such as PVRIS and Halsey. Her debut single, “Outer Space” was released on July 10th and features analog synths, thumping bass, and delicate vocals. Her current single, "Uncomfortable", written during the pandemic, captures the feeling of sitting alone in your room with racing thoughts.
A deliberate and syncopated bass line, that feels like a heavy heartbeat, accompanies CANNXN in the opening of her song, "Uncomfortable." CANNXN sings, I walk up in the morning trying to catch my breath." The song describes a debilitating dream. The room is falling. She can't move from her bed. She can feel the walls pressing upon her. She is trying to catch her breath. She knows it is all in her head, but it feels real. Listeners will be draw in to CANNXN's vivid description of isolation and anxiety.
As the lyrics awaken to reality, the track picks up with a nice drum snap on two and four. This snapping percussion comes in as the lyrics talk about everything being okay. The light percussion provides contrast to the deep bass intro and helps establish the song's groove.
Moving from pre-chorus to chorus, the track builds in sound and tension, making the chorus fully bloom. "I know that I’ll be fine And it’s all just in my head But I can feel the walls Pressing down on my chest And it makes me uncomfortable Uncomfortable"
The stellar arrangement and pristine production shine as the track develops with a strong beat, swirling ambience, electronic motifs, and textured synth elements. A synth solo adds a robotic touch further highlighting the feeling of being alone in your head.
CANNXN draws you in with straight-forward lyrics that tell it like it is. She could be talking to you on the phone, telling you about a dream she had. It is easy to visualize her lyrics and feel her emotions. The irony is that listeners will find themselves singing the word "uncomfortable" along with track and feel entirely comfortable doin so! In a way, the chorus lets out the steam of being in your own head. Just singing it out loud feels like a relief.
CANNXN, along with Connor Weinstein of 137 Productions, did a masterful job with the production work on this track using electronic elements that truly paint the song's story about isolation and anxiety. CANNXN's pure vocal delivery is expressive, yet subtle, yielding an intimate and intoxicating performance. "Uncomfortable" describes how many people feel during the pandemic: alone and over-thinking. The monotony can feel like the walls are closing in. Offering anything but monotony, with a fantastic track and performance, "Uncomfortable" will have you feeling more than okay by the end of the song.
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For more information, visit Cannxn's website.
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