Composition
"New York" was written by Rae, Elvira Anderfjärd, and Luka Kloser, with the latter two handling the track's production, programming, and engineering. [6] Rae talked about making the song in an interview with Apple Music, saying: "No ['New York' wasn't done in New York City], but that makes sense right? Because then I obviously had a great experience in New York and then I came home. Of course it wasn't written in New York but the concept started there. It's like the fantasy of it all." [7] She expresses the desire to leave Los Angeles and move to New York. [8]
Musically, it incorporates elements of Jersey club and tech house. [9] [10] [11] [12] It opens with the line "take a bite out of the Big Apple," delivered in a deadpan tone before breaking into a fast-paced, loop-heavy beat with chopped vocals and layered synths. The repetitious chant of "I love New York," is described as "manically" delivered and both "silly and unpretentious," setting a playful, energetic tone that introduces the album's maximalist aesthetic and nightlife-inspired tone. [8] [13] [14] [15] Rae's vocal performance is stylized and deliberately affected, blending with the production style, which evoked comparisons to the work of artists such as Charli XCX and Madonna. [16] [8] [17] [18]
Critical reception
Jaeden Pinder of Paste stated that the track "sets the album off on a high note" as Rae's "gliding harmonies and hyperventilating breaths layer over a ticking bass drum as it mutates from an early FKA twigs demo to a saccharine sibling of Underworld's 'Born Slippy (Nuxx)'." [14] Alex Rigotti of NME lauded the song, describing it as an example of the album's "bold, playful risks," calling it a "wide-eyed opener" and that Rae's "take on the city is both perfectly modern and off-kilter; a familiar booty-bumping Jersey beat grounds the song in the mid-2020s, but the moody synths create an eerie intimacy, like watching the lit-up skyscrapers whiz by in the privacy of a taxi. That is, until Rae hops out and immerses herself in the madness of the Big Apple, chanting 'na-na-na-na' in glee." [10] Carson Mlnarik of Nylon stated "you can feel the Charli XCX cosign" on the track as Rae "twists a sparse, Bowery Hotel-mentioning meditation on city life into a banger made to measure for Bushwick dance floors." [19] Chris Richards of the Washington Post also praised it, commenting that "the big cue to heed Rae's loudness-softness is lyrical, describing the thump of a nightclub subwoofer and a masticated rhythm that exists only inside your head: 'Kick drum, chew gum.'" [11] Dazed ranked it as the album's second best track, with Habi Diallo writing: "having a real love for NYC can actually feel like a religious experience, and this song encapsulates that feeling of arriving in the best city on earth, full of life and hope. Granted, most people are likely not arriving at the Bowery Hotel, but she still makes good points," continuining, "Also, that pounding drumbeat... sensational. 10/10, no notes." [20]
Giselle Libby of Ones to Watch claimed the song "sets the tone of explosive, transformative new beginnings that feel impulsive yet methodically planned at the same time," and "Rae's delicious talent for spoken word delivery draws you in immediately, encouraging listeners to 'Take a bite of the big apple,' metaphorically welcoming us into a world that will only make sense if you're willing to embrace it." [8] Sam Franzini of Clash highlighted the track, saying that "the repetition of 'love New York / feel so free' on the ode to the city has an earnest, 'aw, shucks!' quality, like an excited puppy wagging its tail at any passerby." [21] Shaad D'Souza of The Guardian called it a "winsome opener" that "explores frenetic Jersey club." [9] Lyndsey Havens of Billboard said that Rae "adds to the canon of love letters to the Big Apple with a track primed for the dance floor. She's moving at a pace to make any tried-and-true New Yorker proud," declaring, "It's an apropos tone-setter for the rest of the album: Don't get too comfortable and don't get too complacent because much like the city itself, she's always going to keep you on your toes." [22] Drew Gillis of The AV Club expressed: "It's silly and unpretentious and it feels true, like you really are hearing Rae's thoughts." [13] Alexander Mooney of Slant Magazine wrote that the "thrumming 'New York' kicks the album off with an intoxicating bang." [23]
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