Back on the first day of the current school year, Moscow Apartment impressed upon those smart enough to listen that modern young people are far from being disconnected and disengaged citizens. “Annie”, from Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla’s first EP, was a smart and sophisticated statement railing against body shaming and the impossible physical standards young people feel they need to live up to.
The duo’s new single, “Be You”, arrives at the tail-end of the school year, and sees Moscow Apartment graduate to next-level songwriting acumen and musicality. Following their guts and muse in equal measure, “Be You” is about a time when your sense and sensibility tells you to be cautious about a new acquaintance; it’s a scenario I imagine Fry and Padilla have frequently faced over the last year. It’s a danger that can befall anyone of any age — with increased attention and media exposure comes the potential for interlopers with less than earnest intentions. “Be You” is a textbook-perfect* combination of pop charms and street smarts.
*I promise: this is the last time I use school metaphors when talking about Moscow Apartment.