Single Review: ‘SIKE!’ by Michy Tree
London via Berkshire-based alternative artist Michy Tree has returned with ‘SIKE!’, her fourth, latest and boldest release to date.
Following 2021’s ‘The Wire’ and released last Friday (May 13th), ‘SIKE!’ is shouty, visually covered in black block capitals. It leaves behind the pinks and purples of ‘Floating House’ and ‘CocaineLove’ and turns red.
A collab with Akin. S, ‘SIKE!’ also sounds scarlet. With the crumbling of a relationship, previous dreaminess dissolves. Harsh reality reveals itself as the strong, straight to the point song leans into the angry instead of the romantic half of red.
The instrumentation is enwrapping and confident, mirroring this anger. Things simmer before spiralling, exploding into thumping drums and guitar. Michy’s voice returns sarcastically and inflamed at points where the song could end but chooses not to, playing into the repetition of the situation. Through insistent electric guitar, paired with scathing, sharp and staunch lyrics, Michy owns her pain, finding power and even humour in it.
Short at only two minutes long, ‘SIKE!’ is a loaded track packed with rage and betrayal. Brutally honest, Michy doesn’t mince her words. She carries bitterness, seething and sarcasm in her voice.
Straight away, we are caught in a web of lies with someone who gaslights “to pass the time,” forming an unhealthy dynamic which ‘sike’, as a word, backs up. Although used sparingly within the song itself, ‘sike’ reduces the relationship to a joke or waste of time. “You said you want me to be your wife,” Michy sings, linking to the bridal cover art. “I went along with it - but sike”. In these lines, the artist speaks about an imbalance and accidentally ending up in something more than intended.
We can almost hear eyes rolling throughout with, “oh no, here we go again | you say she is just a friend | like father, like son,” and the catchy addition of “like mother, like daughter | so glad I caught you”. Digs recur with the cheated speaker dragged back into a situation while we, as listeners, are hooked back into the song, which goes on: “you like to keep things in control, abuse my kindness and my soul”. Here, Michy points out that people can take advantage of and exploit kindness. And in “good riddance,” she reveals those who think like that never change, so why put up with less than you’re worth if you don’t have to? You’re better off without them.
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The rising artist, supported by BBC Introducing, Dork and Rolling Stone, played Kent’s Music for Ukraine yesterday (May 15th) and has a date at the O2 Academy, Islington, in July (2nd).