Live Review: Memes unite on Baauer and Miquela's ode to internet noteriety 'Hate Me'

After releasing one of the most viral dance hits of the 21st century, BAAUER is still trying to shed his 'Harlem Shake' image by creating more nuanced dance and pop tunes. It's only natural then that he would link up with fellow internet notorious instagram model and muso MIQUELA, the robo-teen with over a million followers and a complicated history. She's been more than public with her journey of self awareness and growth alongside her AI management, Brud, but not all fans have been totally receptive and so have been launching into tirades of hate disguised by internet anonymity.

'Hate Me' is the thoughtful collaboration between Miquela and Baauer, elevating beyond their 'meme' status to create a forward-facing pop tune about the duo's complex relationship with the platform that brought them to prominence in the first place.

The verses start out as somewhat minimal, highlighting Miquela's voice fluttering with robotic autotune over sweet synths and bubble samples. Wailing industrial sounds and trappy swells empower the choruses as the vocals repeat and warp, trying to make sense of themselves in this love/hate relationship.

In a market hungry for more content, lyric videos are a staple across pop, but the production value on this one is far above any other. Made in collaboration with LuckyMe, Brud and Australian graphic designers at Pitch Studios, the video sees a broken phone glitching out over Miquela's instagram feed. The broken phone swells with water agitated by the bass of the drops, among some of the first ever moving clips of the static Instagram star behind the scenes of her new video with Baauer.

Only in 2018 could we have the power to collab with a robot. Together Baauer and Miquela have created an empowered anthem that serves as a reminder that robot or human, there is always someone on the other side of the screen.

'Hate Me' by Baauer and Miquela is out now through LuckyMe and available on your streaming/downloading service of choice here.

WORDS BY HOLLY O’NEILL

PHOTO BY BRUD

LISTEN TO MORE NEW MUSIC HERE

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