Freelance (song)
| "Freelance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Toro y Moi | ||||
| from the album Outer Peace | ||||
| Released | October 23, 2018 | |||
| Length | 3:45 | |||
| Label | Carpark | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Chaz Bear | |||
| Producer(s) | Chaz Bear | |||
| Toro y Moi singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Freelance" is a 2018 song recorded by American singer-songwriter Chaz Bear under the stage name Toro y Moi. The song was released on October 23, 2018,[1] under Carpark Records.[2] The song was the lead single of Toro y Moi's sixth studio album, Outer Peace.[1][3] The song was recorded in the San Francisco Bay Area and was inspired by Bear's time spent living in Portland, Oregon.[4][5]
In a press release, Bear stated that "Freelance" is "a response to how disposable culture has become and how it affects creativity".[6]
Critical response
[edit]Pitchfork, reviewing the track and the meaning of its lyrics, said that "disillusionment has never sounded so danceable".[7] Wired said that "Freelance" is "built like a disco software stack", later clarifying that the statement is "a very good thing".[8] Vice complimented the track, stating that the track gave a "very late-90s, post-disco revival" vibe;[6] Vice later interviewed Bear about the single.[9]
Music video
[edit]The music video for "Freelance" features Bear sitting on a yoga ball, as well as a pink-orange gradient background, both of which are featured on the album cover of Outer Peace.[10][11]
Lyrics
[edit]Some of the lyrics in "Freelance" were taken from "Hotcha Girls", a 2002 song by Ugly Casanova.[12]
In the chorus of "Freelance", Bear interpolates part of "Leaf House", a song by Animal Collective.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Toro Y Moi Nods To Fellow Creatives With Playful "Freelance" | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
- ^ Toro y Moi – Freelance, retrieved December 24, 2024
- ^ "Toro Y Moi brings a slap-bass-heavy "Freelance" to Seth Meyers". The FADER. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
- ^ Stringer, David (October 23, 2018). "Toro Y Moi Shares New Single "Freelance"". Scene SC. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
- ^ "Toro y Moi: Freelance". COOL HUNTING®. October 23, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ a b Ross, Alex Robert (October 23, 2018). "Toro Y Moi's New Single "Freelance" Is a Squelchy Disco-Pop Jam". Vice. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ Torres, Eric. "Toro y Moi: "Freelance"". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ Parham, Jason. "Liner Notes: Toro y Moi's 'Freelance' Is Built Like a Disco Software Stack". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ a b VICE News (January 21, 2019). Toro Y Moi Breaks Down "Freelance" From His New Album "Outer Peace". Retrieved January 12, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Toro y Moi (October 23, 2018). Toro y Moi - "Freelance" (Official Music Video). Retrieved January 12, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Outer Peace by Toro y Moi". Genius. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
- ^ "Toro Y Moi's 'Freelance' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved January 9, 2025.