Hear Me Out: Lorde, “Yellow Flicker Beat”

Lorde’s “Yellow Flicker Beat” shows just how suited she is to creating music for “The Hunger Games.” The first song released from the “Mockingjay: Part 1” soundtrack, “Yellow Flicker Beat” is pulsating with energy but made chilling by Lorde’s smooth vocals and characteristically dark lyrics.

The song is divided into two parts which parallel the introspective and action-driven elements of “The Hunger Games” series. The instrumentation sets the mood well in both sections. The slow, unsettling introduction opens with the somber hum of a chorus, giving the opening a human tone. Lorde follows this subdued opening with the resonating drums and faster rhythm of the second section, amping up the intensity of the high-energy climax that continues throughout the rest of the song.

Throughout the changing instrumentation, Lorde’s delivery remains the highlight of the single, holding the attention of the listener with its intensity. Her vocals are versatile and change to match the mood of the separate parts. The beginning is marked by her haunting voice drawn out slowly amid heavy pauses that add emphasis to the words she sings. Her voice becomes more full and gains power to parallel the exhilaration of the second section.

The lyrics of “Yellow Flicker Beat” are characteristic of Lorde’s darker undertones on “Pure Heroine,” another element of the track that makes it an appropriate accompaniment to “The Hunger Games.” She presents a sinister image: “But I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison and I’m locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me.” These disconcerting lyrics have a poignancy elevated by the seriousness of Lorde’s voice. Through her memorable vocal performance, Lorde successfully creates excitement for the upcoming “Mockingjay” film.

The soundtrack to “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is out Nov. 18 via Republic Records.