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A Bit of a Mad One

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A Bit of a Mad One is the third solo extended play by the American musician Glaive. It was released on February 23, 2024, via Interscope Records. Primarily a bedroom pop and hyperpop release, Glaive was also inspired by Russian hip hop, Lucki, ambient music, and hardstyle while creating the EP in Hope, Alaska. The EP was produced by returning collaborators Jeff Hazin and Ralph Castelli and a new collaborator, John Cunningham. Additional production from Jasper Sheff and Will Krause was featured on the track "Living Proof (That It Hurts)". A Bit of a Mad One was considered one of the best albums of the year by Vogue.

A Bit of a Mad One
A painting of two horses.
EP by
Glaive
ReleasedFebruary 23, 2024
RecordedNovember 2023
Genre
Length13:51
LabelInterscope
Producer
  • Ralph Castelli
  • John Cunningham
  • Jeff Hazin
  • Will Krause
  • Jasper Sheff
Glaive chronology
I Care So Much That I Don't Care at All
(2023) 		A Bit of a Mad One
(2024) 		May It Never Falter
(2024)
Singles from A Bit of a Mad One
  1. "Huh"
    Released: January 26, 2024
  2. "Even When the Sun Is Dead, Will You Tell Them How Hard I Tried"
    Released: February 2, 2024
  3. "I Don't Really Feel It Anymore"
    Released: February 16, 2024

Background

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Glaive released his debut studio album I Care So Much That I Don't Care at All in 2023.[1] It marked a change in Glaive's sound, moving away from the hyperpop genre and delving more into a sound more akin to emo pop and Midwest emo.[2][3][4] It received generally favorable reviews from critics,[5] but some felt negative about Glaive's departure from hyperpop.[2][4] Following the release of the album, Glaive was nervous about his music not being what it used to be.[6]

Writing and production

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After recording his debut album in Los Angeles,[1] Glaive was frustrated with recording in the city. Because of this, he decided to record A Bit of a Mad One in Hope, Alaska.[3][7] It was recorded in ten days during November 2023. At times, he would record up to two songs a day for the EP.[3] He caught strep throat due to the cold environment, but he has described his time in Hope as "one of [his] favorite times of [his] entire life."[3][8]

Glaive enlisted returning collaborators Jeff Hazin and Ralph Castelli to produce A Bit of a Mad One alongside a new collaborator, John Cunningham.[3][9] Will Krause and Jasper Sheff contributed as producers to the track "Living Proof (That It Hurts)".[10] While creating the EP, Glaive listened to Russian hip hop, the rapper Lucki, ambient music, and hardstyle mixes on SoundCloud. Because of this, he no longer wanted to create Midwest emo, and instead opted to create hardstyle.[11]

Composition and songs

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A Bit of a Mad One has been described as bedroom pop and hyperpop,[7] and explores themes of love, mental health, religion, and progression of self-discovery.[6][12] Abby Kenna of Ones to Watch reported the EP as "refining the hyperpop and alternative fusion that [Glaive] has cultivated with a focused perspective."[6]

The EP contains seven tracks.[7][13] The opening track "Even When the Sun Is Dead, Will You Tell Them How Hard I Tried" begins with a raw guitar and vocal, then transitions into a hardstyle landscape of instruments, high-BPM synths and "warm" vocal layers.[6] The track reflects on Glaive's mortality.[3] "I Don't Really Feel It Anymore" explores the pain of a past relationship and moving on,[14] while "Huh" is more love-oriented.[3] The former is "built around a hummed, pitched-up melody", while the latter consists of subtle synths and industrial percussion.[6] "Hope Alaska National Anthem", a bedroom pop track which drew comparisons to Cavetown and Alex G,[12] gives context into Glaive's emotional space while writing the EP. On "God Is Dead", Glaive tackles his guilt, pain, and self-reflection using a biblical lens that doubles as a motif used throughout the EP atop a hardstyle climax.[6] "Living Proof (That It Hurts)" starts with gentle acoustics and moves to a "noisy and chaotic finish" consisted of industrial noise.[3][6] Glaive has labelled it as his most personal song and has been described as the EP's darkest point by John Norris of V.[3] The closing track "Phobie D'Impulsion" is also focused on religion, backed by an acoustic guitar and an upbeat melody. It reveals struggles in Glaive's life and confesses to social anxiety, but also expresses themes of optimism.[3][6]

Artwork

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The EP's artwork is a painting of two horses by the Swedish painter Julia de Ruvo. When Glaive was asked why he chose horses to be on the EP's cover, he responded with "I come from a polo family...I was around horses a lot when I was younger...I just love horses, I’ve been around them since I was a kid."[3]

Promotion and release

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To promote the EP, Glaive released three teaser singles. They were all accompanied by music videos that were directed by Glaive.[8][14][9] The EP was announced alongside the release of the single "Even When the Sun Is Dead, Will You Tell Them How Hard I Tried" on February 5, 2024.[9]

A Bit of a Mad One was released on February 23, 2024, via Interscope Records.[9][15]

Reception

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A Bit of a Mad One was included in Vogue's list of the best albums of 2024. Taylor Antrim wrote that it is "denser and darker and more infectious start to finish than anything he’s put out" and that "[h]is best compositions are relentless, earnest, assaultive, offhand, and weirdly pretty at the same time."[13]

Writing for the music blog Everything Is Noise, Asher Pakula praised Glaive's ability to tackle feelings in "such a heartfelt and unpretentious way." He labelled the track "God Is Dead" as the highlight of the EP. Despite the positive review, the use of the word "retarded" during the track "Phobie D'Impulsion" was criticized by Pakula.[12]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Ash Gutierrez (Glaive), Ralph Castelli, John Cunningham, and Jeff Hazin and produced by Castelli, Cunningham, and Hazin, except where noted.

A Bit of a Mad One track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Even When the Sun Is Dead, Will You Tell Them How Hard I Tried"  2:16
2."I Don't Really Feel It Anymore"
  • Gutierrez
  • Dora Jar
  • Castelli
  • Cunningham
  • Hazin
 2:00
3."Huh"  1:47
4."Hope Alaska National Anthem"  1:59
5."God Is Dead"  2:11
6."Living Proof (That It Hurts)" 
  • Castelli
  • Cunningham
  • Hazin
  • Will Krause
  • Jasper Sheff
1:43
7."Phobie D'Impulsion"  1:55
Total length:13:51

Notes

Personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[10]

Musicians

  • Glaive – vocals (all tracks)
  • Dora Jar – background vocals (2)
  • Will Krause - drums (6)

Engineers

  • Jeff Hazin – engineering (1, 2, 4–7), mixing (all tracks), recording (5–7)
  • John Cunningham – engineer (1, 2, 4–7), mixing (1, 3–7), recording (5–7)
  • Ralph Castelli – engineer (1, 2, 4–7), mixing (1, 3–7), recording (5–7)
  • Ash Gutierrez – engineer (2), mixing (2), recording (5–7)
  • Dave Kutch - mastering (1, 2, 4–7)

References

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  1. ^ a b Schube, Will (17 May 2023). "Glaive Announces 'I Care So Much That I Don't Care At All,' Shares New Single". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kim, Matthew (July 14, 2023). "glaive: I Care So Much That I Don't Care at All Review - bombastic emo-pop". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Norris, John (27 February 2024). "New Year, New Hair, Same Irresistible Angst: Glaive Talks His New Ep 'A Bit of a Mad One'". V. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Erickson, Steve (October 29, 2024). "Glaive I Care So Much That I Don't Care at All Review: Uncomfortably Grim". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  5. ^ "I Care So Much That I Dont Care at All by Glaive Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Kenna, Abby (February 27, 2024). "glaive Embraces the Chaos of a Swirling Mind in 'a bit of a mad one'". Ones to Watch. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Horvath, Zachary (26 February 2024). "Glaive Details His Personal Life Vividly On "A Bit Of A Made One"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b Kelly, Tyler Damara (January 29, 2024). "glaive shares first release of the year, "huh"". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Kelly, Tyler Damara (February 5, 2024). "glaive announces forthcoming EP, a bit of a mad one". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Credits / a bit of a mad one / Glaive". Tidal. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ "An Interview with glaive: "a bit of a mad one"". UCLA Radio. February 8, 2024. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Pakula, Asher (March 27, 2024). "glaive – "a bit of a mad one"". Everything Is Noise. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Hess, Liam; Jackson, Hannah; Antrim, Taylor; Allaire, Christian; Criales-Unzueta, José; Kim, Irene; Garcia-Furtado, Laia (21 August 2024). "The Best Albums of 2024 (So Far)". Vogue Magazine.
  14. ^ a b Horvath, Zachary (February 19, 2024). "Glaive Is Getting Ready For New LP With "I Don't Really Feel It Anymore"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Powers, Ann; Tyler-Ameen, Daoud. "New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 23". NPR. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
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