History Music / CarolinePolachek

Caroline's 2016 collaboration with Music/PCMusic's Danny L. Harle on "Ashes of Love" cemented her as a member of the then-fledgling {{Hyperpop}} scene, and she has since collaborated with Hyperpop mainstays like Music/CharliXCX [[note]]On "Tears", "New Shapes", and uncredited vocals on "Delicious"[[/note]], A.G. Cook [[note]]Uncredited vocals on "Lifeline", "Alright", and "Chandelier", as well as a remix of "Oh Yeah"[[/note]], Music/{{felicita}} [[note]]On "Marzipan"[[/note]], and more. Her first album under her real name, 2019's ''Pang'', was produced by Harle and catapulted her to new heights as a critical darling (with [[https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/47070/1/the-20-best-albums-of-2019 Dazed]] even naming it the best album of the year) and a bonafide indie-pop star. She has since released two singles, "Bunny Is a Rider" (2021) and "Billions" (2022), the former of which was named "Best Song of 2021" by [[https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2021/ Pitchfork]]. Both songs are featured on her sophomore album, ''Desire, I Want To Turn Into You''.

* AlbumTitleDrop: ''Desire, I Want to Turn Into You'' gets namedropped throughout the chorus of the AlbumIntroTrack, "Welcome To My Island".

* {{Escapism}}: A major lyrical theme throughout ''Desire, I Want To Turn Into You'', which -- as the title implies -- frequently expresses Caroline's wish to not merely indulge in, but ''become'' the things that she loves about the world, isolated from her problems and indulging in the luxuries of self-control. "Welcome To My Island" is a pretty tongue-in-cheek thesis for the album on the matter (Caroline frequently describes it as her most "bratty" song for [[ItsAllAboutMe just how entitled it is]]), and it's also tied to songs like "Blood and Butter" and "Fly To You", which describe escapism through being with loved ones.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: "Pang" features the lyric "I open the door and you run through", introducing the door-as-metaphor-for-intimacy motif that serves as the central theme of "Door". In fact, "Door"'s chorus is actually an inversion of the aforementioned lyric:

* FutureMeScaresMe: In "Look At Me Now", she alternates between singing from the perspective of her past and current selves, lamenting that her past self would be ashamed of her failure to change and grow as a person.

* IHaveManyNames: In addition to her work with Chairlift, she's released solo music under her actual name, "[[{{Portmantitle}} Ramona Lisa]]", and "[[InitialismTitle CEP]]".

* MetalScream: Caroline is able to pull off the rare high-pitched variety, as seen in tracks like "Dang" or Music/CharliXCX's "Tears". When combined with her often gentle and serene instrumentals, the effect manages to be simultaneously gritty yet also oddly soft and ethereal.

* RemixAlbum: ''Pang'' got one two years after its release, featuring contributions from Music/PCMusic's A. G. Cook, Toro y Moi, George Clanton, and Oklou, as well as an [[ReCut extended version]] of "The Gate" and a CoverVersion of The Corrs' "Breathless".

** It's hard to notice if you aren't actively looking for it, but about halfway through the music video for "Bunny is a Rider," a box labeled "Whole New World" is visible, referencing a song by fellow Music/PCMusic affiliate and hyperpop pioneer Music/{{Sophie}}. Since "Bunny" was released only a few months after SOPHIE's death, this was likely intended as a subtle dedication.

* SingerNamedrop: In "Caroline Shut Up", she addresses herself by name as she gives herself a pep-talk about not overthinking her current relationship.

* SoundtrackDissonance: The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn3cHUtNZKo music video]] for "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings", an upbeat pop song, is a classic pop video full of cutesy choreography...that's set in ''hell''. Evidently, the song and the video have different interpretations of the word "hot".

** ''Dominic'''s first track, aptly, is named "Dominic".
** ''Arcadia'' has "Arcadia" as well as "Arcadia Reprise".
** ''Pang'''s second song is named "Pang".

** The verses of "Hit Me Where It Hurts", though they seem to describe a whirlwind vacation with a new lover when all put together, are pretty surreal and almost nonsensical on their own.

* AlbumClosure: "Parachute", the last track of ''Pang'', is one of the most slow and dreamy songs on the album, with lyrics about embracing change in keeping with the album's overarching narrative of a breakup and subsequent new relationship.
* AlbumIntroTrack: "The Gate", the first track of ''Pang'', is significantly shorter and spacier than most of the songs on the album while very much serving as a "gate" into the album's rich and ethereal sound.

** References ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'' on "Bunny Is a Rider," which also contains the lyric "Tryin' to [[Music/JeffersonAirplane go ask Alice]]."

** References Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland on "Bunny Is a Rider," which also contains the lyric "Tryin' to [[Music/JeffersonAirplane go ask Alice]]."

* SofterAndSlowerCover: The acoustic version of "I Believe."

* UpdatedReRelease: ''Desire I Want To Turn Into You: Everasking Edition'' which comes with several bonus tracks and an alternative versions of "Butterfly Net" with Music/WeyesBlood and an acoustic version of "I Believe."

* SpokenWordInMusic: The interlude "Meanwhile" and the bridge on ''Coma" on the ''Everasking Edition.''

* FreezeFrameBonus: The slides in Caroline's [=PowerPoint=] presentation from her performance of "Dang" on ''Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert'' range from baffling to hilarious, but due to the fact that she speeds through them to the beat of the music, you're likely to miss many of them. It's definitely worth your time to go through and pause to read each one though. Highlights include a Notes app apology for eating a friend's grapes, the color of the year being a slab of concrete, and a slide that just reads "YESSSS oh my god this is so much fun HAHAHAHA."

* FreezeFrameBonus: The slides in Caroline’s PowerPoint presentation from her performance of Dang on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert range from baffling to hilarious. However due to the fact that she speeds through them to the beat of the music, you’re likely to miss many of them. It’s definitely worth your time to go through and pause to read each one though. Highlights include a notes app apology for eating a friend’s grapes, the color of the year being a slab of concrete, and a slide that just reads “YESSSS oh my god this is so much fun HAHAHAHA.”

* WordSaladLyrics: The verses of "Hit Me Where It Hurts", though they seem to describe a whirlwind vacation with a new lover when all put together, are pretty surreal and almost nonsensical on their own.
** “Dang” pushes these even further, with completely nonsensical verses and a chorus made up of babbling noises.

* BareYourMidriff: She's currently [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midriff the image on the Wikipedia page for "midriff."]]

* BareYourMidriff: She's currently [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midriff the image for the Wikipedia page for "midriff."]]