Fragile Girls – “失去尼歐”

By: Jesse Benitez

In the summer of 2018, I spent my time learning Mandarin Chinese in Taipei, Taiwan. I found that some of the best ways to learn a new language was to immerse yourself in the art, whether that be with books, movies, or music. Knowing my passion for discovering new music, I made it a point to visit as many local record shops as I could and get into as many live musical performances in a given week. The music scene in Taipei was unbelievable; I found myself surrounded by an extraordinary amount of talented indie singers and songwriters, where everyone had a story tell in the most inventive ways. I’m forever grateful for my roommates, some of which were Taiwanese, who helped me navigate such an amazing world of creatives. 

One particular song that stuck out to me was one I heard during my travels, propelling my journey in acquiring the record, which by the way, I’m still trying to get my hands on! “Lost Neo” (失去尼歐), from Fragile Girls’ (脆弱少女組) 2017 release, Some Pop Songs You Can Listen to When You’re Sad (2017) (一些難過的時候可以聽的流行歌曲) is a mix of dreamy, chill pop with a hint of rock. The song starts off slow and melancholic, but eventually kicks up with a jolting guitar solo. The track has a very sentimental tenderness to it, and it pairs well with the retro synthiness in the melodies. Every time I revisit this track, it prompts within me some wishful thinking, yet the yearning it imposes also reminds me of the closure I need to accept— whether that’s with love, closing a chapter in my life, or leaving a place where I felt at home.