“Violence” [ft. i_o]

Last we heard from Grimes, she was not-so-facetiously requesting that we submit to the “future General AI overlords.” After 10 months, a Stella McCartney campaign, and a hubbub over claims of experimental eye surgery, she’s cooled it on the industrial nu-metal. Working alongside Deadmau5-adjacent producer i_o, “Violence”—which may or may not appear on Grimes’ upcoming record Miss_Anthrop0cene—embraces swooning synths and propulsive melodies that recall Art Angels-lite.

Lyrically, “Violence” seemingly addresses an abusive relationship that thrives on an unequal power dynamic. “I am, like, begging for it,” she coos, before illuminating the toxic cycle: “You feed off hurting me.” But “Violence” can also be read as a metaphor for humans’ exploitation of the environment. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Grimes wrote that each song on Miss_Anthrop0cene “will be a different embodiment of human extinction as depicted through a pop star Demonology.” If it’s uncomfortable to hear her revel in the damage, perhaps it’s because we’re complicit in its cause.