Gotye – Someone I Used to Know ft. Kimbra Review

Belgium born Wouter De Backer has been releasing music under the name Gotye for nearly a decade, and his multi-instrumental song writing abilities have won him five AIRA Music Awards (Australian Recording Industry Association), as well as an MTV EMA Nomination.

‘Someone I Used to Know’ tells a tale of heartbreak with painful precision, “Told myself that you were right for me/But felt so lonely in your company/But that was love and it’s an ache I still remember”, yet it is filled with enough catchy pop hooks that will stay with you long after the song has finished. Nimble xylophone tones, accompanied by guitar picking and a steady rhythm set a delicate tone for the songs introduction, shortly followed by Backer’s haunting vocals. Each verse continues to build until a blistering chorus hits you full on, sang with a staggering degree of passion and emotion that is both pure and honest.

As the stable verse tiptoes back into action, you think you are in for more of the same heartbreak. But, in steps female singer songwriter Kimbra to give her version of events, “Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over.” The track is transformed, soon becoming a glorious duet filled with beautiful harmonies, and what feels like a genuine connection between the two voices.

With a simple, yet creative video to complement the song, it’s easy to see how Gotye has become an instant online hit, with nearly 50 million views on YouTube, as well as countless number of covers from his adoring fans.