Experience orchestral drama with DPR IAN’s anthemic standout single, “Don’t Go Insane,” put out a few days before the official release of his third solo album. The track acts as an affirmation and a raw snippet of IAN’s conflicted identity. It continues a surreal journey he narrates throughout his discography. Following the happier first two singles, “Peanut Butter and Tears” and “So I Danced,” “Don’t Go Insane” completes the trinity with a transition to darkness. Although the song came out months ago, it has recently gained attention on TikTok and Instagram from fan edits and dance challenges.
A distant clap of thunder paired with a melancholy piano chord first catches the listener’s attention. This signal is a trademark of “MITO,” the personification of IAN’s manic lows. He opens his lament poetically, describing how he can’t help but internally laugh at his helplessness. The song’s quiet tone quickly changes after the first verse with an abundance of spacey, layered synths as he sings the chorus.
“Oh, bless my heart,
When the wolves take me away
Don’t fall apart
When I come back from the grave
Forget my charms
I’ll never be the same
We’ve come so far
Only to drift away”
DPR IAN, “Don’t Go Insane”
Watch the official music video here:
With this, IAN conveys both resentment and acceptance toward his inner demons. He knows the “wolves” will inevitably get to him. He also knows that once he’s released from them in shambles, whatever convincing progress he has made will be null in the relationship. It is ambiguous whether IAN is describing an internal or external relationship. These blurred lines are precisely the allure of his storytelling.
Each section of “Don’t Go Insane” is supported by grand swells of string instruments (a signature of IAN’s soundscape) and a whimsical whistling motif. The variety of dynamic sounds aptly expresses the confusing nature of mental illness. The track closes with a spacious, funky bass section where IAN repeats “insane…”
As a new listener or a tenured fan, “Don’t Go Insane” is yet another commanding display of DPR IAN’s captivating sound design. It is the last of the lead singles to his new album, Dear Insanity…, and the climax of anticipation. One cannot help but think, ‘If this is what insanity sounds like… maybe I want a taste of it.’
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