2021 was an excellent year for music! Many artists like Tyler the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish further cemented themselves as frontrunners in the music industry.
However, it was also a great year for smaller artists as well! As the new year rolled around and 2022 hit us with full force, many artists turned to TikTok to promote the songs they had released the year prior. As an avid TikTok user, I can confirm that I would definitely not have the same music taste as I do now.
This brings us to “Tek It” by Cafuné, one of the latest hits that soared up the viral charts thanks to TikTok – and for a good reason! With the standout guitar riffs and lead singer Sedona Schat’s captivating voice, it was only inevitable that this song would become a hit.
Cafuné is made up of New York-based duo Noah Yoo and Sedona Schat, and the name “Cafuné” is Portuguese, translating to “the act of running your fingers through a loved one’s hair”. With a name that interesting being what the duo calls themselves, it only makes sense that their debut 2021 album would be titled Running.
Running is a healthy mix of alternative pop, soft rock, and shoegaze, all genres that can be blended together to make a fun, summer-like album. The album was self-produced and recorded by the duo during the pandemic, and many of the themes of the album reflect feelings of isolation and waiting for the future. “Tek It” is possibly the most upbeat of the collection while the lyrics tell a different story: the singer is catching her partner in a lie and must learn to let go of them.
“Tek It” was the second single from the album to be released, actually predating the full album by two years, only being beat by “Want Me Out”. The first single is a bit more mellow than its upbeat successor, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a bop. The most notable lyric, “Have you lost all meaning?”, is sweetly sung by Sedona with a synth track backing her vocals.
And though most of the songs have more mellow and sad undertones, it doesn’t mean they aren’t catchy! “Everyone Knows” is one of the album’s best tracks. Though the song’s lyrics detail the singer confronting someone about the lies they’ve been spreading, the instrumental is melodic and fun.
Perhaps the most interesting track from Running is the second to last track “Empty Tricks”. The song leans heavily into shoegaze territory, building up with synths and vocals before being completely taken over by the drums and basslines for a chaotic yet ethereal chorus. The song feels like the A-ha moment in a movie where the main character experiences a plot twist or realizes something huge. I would really recommend listening to this track with headphones, so you can immerse yourself in the experience as I did.
Cafuné’s debut album will most likely go down as one of their best. Take a listen as we push through the year, and see if you can add “Tek It” to your driving playlist!