As a certified Kesha lover, it’s no surprise that 3OH!3 were a staple on my middle school playlists. Was I allowed to play “STARSTRUKK” or “My First Kiss” aloud around my mom? Absolutely not. Did I anyway? Of course. Those tracks, along with the inescapable “DONTTRUSTME” remain engraved in my brain. They’re the type of songs that followed me from bus rides home from school to college parties in cramped basements to now, when I’m just driving home late at night and need something upbeat to keep me awake.

There’s always been a certain charm to 3OH!3 that not many artists can replicate–that tongue-in-cheek energy that almost insists music should be playful, danceable, and, sometimes, a little ridiculous. And thankfully, 3OH!3 has held onto that spark. The duo from Boulder is back with “HIT ME HARDER,” a brand-new track premiering exclusively by The Needle Drop. It comes after their July single “SLUSHIE,” their first new release in almost five years.

After a few listens of “HIT ME HARDER,” I can say with confidence that I really like this track. The song feels like an older, more self-aware sibling to “DONTTRUSTME.” Where their earlier hits thrived on chaos and hookup culture, this one seems to look at the aftermath, at the hangover of identity that comes from being the life of the party for too long.

Lyrically, it’s sharp and self-referential. I especially like the line, “Yeah this beat hits hard, but her boyfriend hit me harder,” because it reminds me of the iconic, “You tell your boyfriend, if he says he’s got beef…” from “STARSTRUKK. I can’t help but wonder if this is the same boyfriend they’re referring to, and if so, what a fun homage to the original.

Musically, it’s flooded with everything 3OH!3 is known for. “[It] feels like a return to form, packed with the same sass and electro-rap energy that defined their early work, while still carrying that unmistakable indie-dance edge,” Ricky Adams describes on The Needle Drop. I absolutely agree with this, adding that “HIT ME HARDER” carries a new layer of grit, a self-deprecating humor that borders on introspection.

Despite this, it’s still 3OH!3 through and through. It’s loud, weird, and fun, but with a little more heart beneath the neon lights that usually only comes with age. “HIT ME HARDER” reminds me that growing up doesn’t mean giving up the beat, sometimes it just means admitting that the beat might hit harder than it used to.

“HIT ME HARDER” officially drops on Friday, November 7th and can be pre-saved here.

To listen to “HIT ME HARDER” now on The Needle Drop, click here.

3OH!3
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