Teenagers: they’re bitter yet sweet. At least, that’s what Ski Lift say with their latest track — a sweet and comforting number that’ll make you feel safe and loved, and have you dreaming of your younger days (at least for some of us).

Cards on the table, I’ve had a bit of a tough day. Looking through the list of tracks to review I came across Ski Lift’s Teenager. It was just what I needed to unwind.

A relatively short track that clocks in at around two and a half minutes – and what it gives you in that time is something laid-back and delightfully dreamy. We start with a soft, slow beat, gentle drums that are quickly joined by the light strum of a guitar. It’s comforting and welcomes you in – this is a safe space; I imagine the band would say.

Indeed, it’s the sort of track that wouldn’t be out of place in a John Hughes or a Richard Linklater movie, something like Dazed And Confused (1993) or Sixteen Candles (1984)… or, if you’re after a more modern reference, Stranger Things (2015-2021).

What I’m getting at is that it feels like a coming-of-age track, and also a nostalgic one. A piece of music that reminds you of endless summers growing up, long days spent staring up at blue skies and dreaming of things to come. I mean, take the lyrics for instance: “I’m a teenager, so bitter and so sweet. I’m a teenager, c’mon world, sweep me off my feet.” 

Actually, reading those words back might not entirely paint the right kind of picture – you could just as easily apply these lyrics to a no-holds-barred punk track, something with some Sid Vicious type dude screaming his head off. But putting that aside, if you’re in the mood for something a little ‘80s and nostalgic and, dare I say it, feel-good, then you’ll be in safe hands with Teenager. Let it sweep you off your feet.