Exzenya’s latest, “Captivity,” is not your typical breakup track; it’s an eerie, movie-like insight into what it feels like to be transformed by domination. The song kicks off with a ghostly reimagining of an ancient American folk tune that has been stripped of its warmth and left shivering beside the road, coatless and spooky. Hive Mind The listener is instantly thrust into a world that seems sterile and claustrophobic, as if sound literally could be the state of being alone in their minds.
As the song progresses, “Captivity” starts in dark minimalism and ascends to controlled power. Exzenya’s voice goes from a deep, grounded sound to fragile highs when she sings, and every phrase is an equal measure of resistance and surrender. She turns her breath and tonal imperfection into vulnerability that feels as deliberate as it is arresting, while spare musical accompaniment only enhances the sense of straitjacket. The sound design is closer to a movie score than it is to a pop record. It is cinematic, sinister and rich with symbolic textures.
This single stands out as one that isn’t afraid to keep it real. Speeches, captivity and the ‘dark psychology of survival’ From my perspective as a media psychologist who studies reality TV and how people experience technology, I found the process compelling to watch. Rather than offer any consolation or closure, the film continues to linger in unease and shows how being trapped can warp one’s sense of security and self. What gives the track its emotional heft is that the singer is prepared to remain in darkness.
Exzenya translates psychological insight into sound on “Captivity.” Her remarkable voice, which can dive into baritone territory, and her background in psychology combine to make for work that’s quite clever and very human. It’s one of those songs that hits so strongly that it lingers in your head long after it has stopped playing. It’s an eerie meditation on what it is like to lose and then rediscover yourself.