Aliese's second single, 'If You Have To Go,' continues the arena-sized sound established in 'All Good.' This time, however, he adopts a seething tone—advocating for a rebirth through destruction, a forced restart in response to capitalism’s political and economic failures.
The track employs a repurposed drum break, apocalyptic synths, and a wall of sound that cradles the artist’s vocals, creating an anthem for the exhausted. 'If You Have To Go' pulsates with a suffocating urgency, most palpable during the climactic nosedive into silence, following a blistering duet between Josh Karpeh’s (AKA Cautious Clay) screeching saxophone and Aliese’s incisive guitar wails.
Yet, beyond the expression of righteous anger, 'If You Have To Go' reveals a trepidatious optimism and a vulnerable desire: “I hope it gets better. I hope it does. I need to keep faith in my imagination.” Amidst pain, trauma, and an oppressive history, the sound of resilience emanates and crescendos, if only for a fleeting mome—