“Unwanted Guest” by Blenko takes a serious topic and turns it into an upbeat indie track, employing dark humour to examine capitalism as a greedy houseguest that won’t leave. By linking this analogy to addiction, social media and artificial intelligence, the song acquires a cynical tone without making the entire listening experience seem serious. Instead of setting its message within a serious musical background, Blenko incorporates it into a lively and danceable arrangement, thus producing a contrast between the song’s sound and its message.
The bassline plays a key role in determining the character of the track, supplying it with momentum and contributing to its danceable nature. The somewhat odd atmosphere also matches the song’s sense of humour, enabling the subject matter to be presented together with an energetic indie style. This balance is what allows “Unwanted Guest” to convey its message: the music stays accessible even though the lyrics deal with more uncomfortable topics. The song’s appeal comes from the contrast between its lively surface and the darker viewpoint underneath.
Blenko worked with producer Michael Hemmings to develop the song through a collaborative recording process at a garden studio in Elmstead Market, Essex. The partnership that they have built up has played a role in giving the song its particular sound, with Hemmings taking part in the production and the two of them jointly experimenting with various ideas. ‘Unwanted Guest’ is also the first song that Blenko has produced using Logic, which has enabled her to try out drum beats and other sounds at home before coming to the studio with her ideas; this new method is one of the reasons for the song’s place in her evolving creative work.
Produced by Hemmings, mixed by Jake Cartwright and mastered by Black Bay Studio. “Unwanted Guest” has furthermore been played on BBC Introducing Essex and Cambridgeshire by Matt Plumb. The single has a distinct identity due to the combination of a convincing bassline, a lively energy and sharp social commentary. Blenko includes a touch of cynical humour without losing the track’s momentum, demonstrating that a song can get people to dance while at the same time drawing attention to the uncomfortable ideas lying beneath its surface.
