Seemingly on the heels of a new project, pop mainstay Lauv has begun his rollout with “Love U Like That.” If this is to be considered a lead single, it is his best one yet from his official projects. The tune possesses the same kind of “I’m so addicted to you, girl” vibe as “All 4 Nothing,” the official lead single and title track of his last record, but with a hook and production that rivals his best such as “I Like Me Better,” “Believed,” and “Easy Love.” A trippy visualizer accompanies the release on his YouTube channel.
Lauv debuted the tune to a live audience at The Surf Lodge, a popular party spot in Montauk, NY earlier this summer. With a crowd of, mostly, Hamptons influencers and a handful of celebrities with residence in the area willingly spending thousands on outdoor table service, he decided to test the new tune out for a crowd mostly unfamiliar with his larger body of work. It was well-received, even with no visual production around him and little to no familiarity, other than short snippets posted to social media.
The studio version is, sound-wise, his most radio-friendly and, likely, his best chance at a mainstream hit since “I’m so tired…,” his 2018 collab with Troye Sivan. Lauv, never one to deviate from what is comfortable for him musically, isn’t chasing the current pop trends. Not shooting for his take on the contained intimacy of Billie Eilish or the darkness of The Weeknd. Instead, he went back to square one, and delivered.
Lyrically, he sings of his personal pleasures with a hint of a smile: “You could really tear me apart cause / I love you like that / Everything you do just turns me on / I love you like that / Body on my mind like all night long.” The driving synth-pop production, right up his wheelhouse, perfectly suits the whimsical nature of a relationship seemingly somewhere between the honeymoon phase and serious commitment.
All-nighters filled with champagne problems and effortless conversation lead to physical connection: “And you’re kissin on my neck / I’m like ‘Ohhhhh,’ / Got your hands up on my chest, I’m like, ‘Ohhhh,’ / Kiss me till there’s nothin’ left / Oh my God, Oh my God.” Lauv’s floaty falsetto stretches up to, almost, new heights on this, effortlessly octave-doubling himself throughout the chorus. As the bridge and final chorus roll in, the track reaches “Style” by Taylor Swift levels of not just maintaining its momentum but allowing it to roll through to the very end. Seemingly reset, Lauv, the inescapable hitmaker, is back again.
Stream “Love U Like That” on Spotify:
