Rapt (song)

Last updated
"Rapt"
Rapt TRZTN version.jpg
Single by Karen O
from the album Crush Songs
ReleasedJune 28, 2014
Recorded2006–2007
Genre Lo-fi
Length1:47
Label Cult Records
Songwriter Karen O
Producer Karen O
Karen O singles chronology
"The Moon Song"
(2014)		"Rapt"
(2014)		"I Shall Rise"
(2015)

"Rapt" is a song by American musician Karen O and the second track on her debut studio album, Crush Songs (2014). It was released by Cult Records as its lead single in June 2014. Written and produced by Karen O, "Rapt" is a lo-fi song with lyrics about an intense love comparable to the struggles of addiction. Upon release, it did not have a major commercial impact but was well-received by critics. The song's music video was directed by her husband Barnaby Clay and released simultaneously.

Contents

Background

Karen O, a key figure in the garage rock and post-punk revivals of the 2000s, is best known as a member of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. [1] [2] She began writing and recording personal songs as a side project between 2006 and 2007, [3] but this material would remain dormant until 2014, after Yeah Yeah Yeahs went on hiatus. [4] [5] She developed the material into Crush Songs as her solo debut album, which includes "Rapt". [6] It was mixed by Nick Launay and mastered by Bernie Grundman. [7] [8] Its artwork was designed by Karen O and Julian Gross of Liars. [9]

"Rapt" is a lo-fi song with elements of indie rock and alternative rock. [10] Along with Crush Songs's other tracks, it was mostly preserved as it was produced in the late 2000s. [3] It was the second song written for the album, inspired by "someone who became a habit that was hard to kick." [11] A writer for DIY magazine likened it to her previous single, "The Moon Song" from Her, [12] while Al Horner from NME compared its sound to that of the Microphones. [13]

Release and reception

"Rapt" was released as the lead and only single from Crush Songs on July 28, 2014, with a music video directed by Barnaby Clay—Karen O's husband—and produced by K. K. Barrett. [14] On Valentine's Day 2015, Karen O announced a limited edition pink 7-inch vinyl reissue of "Rapt" with a remix by TRZTN. [15] It was packaged with the singer's handwritten notes and a customizable Valentine's card. [16] The song entered the UK Physical Singles Chart on February 21 and spent three weeks on it, peaking at number six. [17]

"Rapt" was well-received by music critics and journalists, many of whom deemed it a standout track of the album. AllMusic's Heather Phares believed it rivaled her solo work to that point, maintaining the "shy sweetness" of Crush Songs "even as O puzzles over her tumbling emotions". [10] Though Laurence Day from The Line of Best Fit was critical of its parent album, he called the song "admittedly fantastic" thanks to its "rhythms", "pace" and "that idiosyncratic sass that O brandishes." [18] NME 's Al Horner described it as "a haunting, simple campfire ballad" and "a warming glimpse at another side to the raucous, screaming figure Karen cuts in YYYs. [...] The future feels unwritten again for Karen O – but this time in a good way." [13] Yasmeen Gharnit from Nylon concurred, calling it "an addictive willowy track with a simplistic, daydream-inducing melody." [19] Gharnit also reviewed TRZTN's remix, which she dubbed "just as refreshing in the completely opposite way." [15]

Track listing

Original release

  1. "Rapt" – 1:47

7" reissue

  1. "Rapt (TRZTN Remix)" – 3:53
  2. "Rapt" – 1:47

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Crush Songs and "Rapt". [7] [9]

Charts

Chart performance for "Rapt"
Chart (2015)Peak position
UK Physical Singles (OCC) [17] 6

References

  1. ↑ Blackman, S. J. (2004). Chilling Out: The Cultural Politics of Substance Consumption, Youth and Drug Policy. McGraw-Hill International. p. 90. ISBN   978-0-335-20072-6.
  2. ↑ B. Greenfield, and R. Reid, New York City (London: Lonely Planet, 4th edn., 2004), ISBN   1-74104-889-3, p. 33.
  3. 1 2 "Karen O – Crush Songs: album stream". The Guardian . September 5, 2014. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  4. ↑ Drell, Cady (June 25, 2014). "Karen O draws on former crushes for debut solo album 'Crush Songs'". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on May 28, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  5. ↑ Khomani, Nadia (December 22, 2014). "Karen O says Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'are on a bit of a hiatus'". NME . Archived from the original on April 11, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  6. ↑ Gordon, Jeremy (June 25, 2014). "Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O announces first solo record, Crush Songs". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on November 1, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Crush Songs (liner notes). Karen O. Cult Records. 2014. CLT0162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ Ryzik, Melena (August 29, 2014). "Karen O goes solo with 'Crush Songs'". The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Rapt (single). Karen O. Cult Records. 2014. CLT016-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Crush Songs - Karen O". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Rapt is the 2nd song written on this curated collection of crush songs from my personal library This track is about someone who became a habit that was hard to kick..." Facebook. July 28, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Karen O streams 'Rapt' from new solo album". DIY . July 28, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Horner, Al (July 28, 2014). "Can Karen O survive without her Yeah Yeah Yeahs bandmates? Debut solo single 'Rapt' reviewed". NME . Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ Payne, Chris (July 28, 2014). "Watch Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O's chilling video for solo single 'Rapt'". Billboard . Archived from the original on March 3, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Gharnit, Yasmeen (February 10, 2015). "Song premiere: Karen O "Rapt (TRZTN Remix)"". Nylon . Archived from the original on August 15, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  16. ↑ Goble, Corban (February 10, 2015). "Karen O streams live album Live From Crush Palace". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on October 26, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Rapt: Full chart history". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on November 2, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  18. ↑ Day, Laurence (September 4, 2014). "Karen O - "Crush Songs"". The Line of Best Fit . Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ Gharnit, Yasmeen (July 28, 2014). "Karen O "Rapt"". Nylon . Archived from the original on December 14, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
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