H.O.T.U.H is a show of range, and a sharp left from R&B. At its root, it explores desire, self-discovery, sexuality, cravings, liberation/freedom, rebellion, growth exploration, the growing pains of early adult angst and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it, but that’s all covered by Somadina’s pungent indifference.
Across the album lies Gen Z liberal tendency for emotionless attraction barring the retributive tendencies of ‘Citrus Tears,’ where she chases a dude, like someone chased her on ‘Everybody Bleeds.’
Before then, even when she gets a little vulnerable with passive amorous longing on ‘Dreams,’ she mires it in vagueness.
But underneath all the ‘maturity,’ there lies an undertone, that this phase has reactive and momentary coming-of-age tendencies.
Perhaps, the more mature, less emotional feel to ‘H.O.T.U.H’ is a reaction to the pains of ‘Five Stages,’ as Somadina tries to forge a way towards healing in her own way, while she also grapples with the oft-overwhelming happenings, desires and tendencies of early adulthood, in a liberal world as a Gen Z woman, affected by the internet and the alluring tendencies of the contemporary values like sexual liberalism, which nurture her.
And those values can be addictive because they offer a sense of power, and even dominance.
Perhaps, that is why Somadina transforms from a lovestruck teenager, into a young woman, who is bold enough to cop a young man who suits her taste into a tryst, but without the usual emotional baggage or trappings that come with it - just sex, as they say.
‘I Saw An Angel On The Rooftop and Wept’ and ‘Everybody Bleeds’ typify this mindstate. To put an exclamation point on the casual nature of the said tryst, she sings, “I don’t give a f**k about you” on ‘Everybody Bleeds.’
But this type of life also comes with pressure, which Somadina aims to dispel on the self-explanatory, ‘WDYWFM' or 'Imagine Give A F**k,' just like the atypical mid-2000s Teen Pop/Teen Rock song, pulled from a mid-2000s soundtrack to a High school/coming-of-age flick. Think Joan Jett’s ‘Bad Reputation,’ with a Brookes Brothers remix, ‘In The Summer.’
There was also a nod to an exploration of sexuality on ‘Crzy Girl,’ where Somadina embodies a character, who appears to be convincing a girl to leave her boyfriend for her.
