On December 8th, SU-based band Mimicking Mars released their new song, hitting the heartstrings of situationships everywhere.

Words By Tessa Maddaloni / Graphic by Mattea Vecera

If you haven’t developed true feelings for a situationship before, then you’re lying. In a time where being casual is the norm, the realization that the feelings you have are real can be terrifying. The internal weighing the scales: to tell or not to tell? Do they feel the same? Will you lose them forever? God forbid you seem uncool. You turn to overthinking every interaction to read the deeper meanings. On December 8th, Mimicking Mars released “Jessica,” a power pop-inspired retelling of this age-old phenomenon.

At first, “Jessica” seems like just another song about pining, but upon further listening, it’s so much more. The track takes the listener on a journey of realizing these feelings for a friend and trying to see if they want you as much as you want them. The soundscape is full of angsty guitar licks and intense drums. With a seamless combination of melodic guitar and upbeat vocals, “Jessica” feels like a track that could have come from the catalog of Declan McKenna or the Backseat Lovers.

The lyrics of the song describe different moments in the relationship and the singer’s thoughts after catching the plague of love. It starts with the two lying in bed together and talking about their day, but all that he can think about is how he “longs for something more.” Slowly, the couple grows closer and closer, until the song’s bridge hits and explodes, portraying the singer’s feelings: bottled up until there is nowhere else for them to go. He resigns himself to silence, however, and waits for her to make a move.

Although Mimicking Mars has been making music since 2021, the band has truly emerged as one of the most exciting acts at SU after introducing themselves to SU’s DIY scene earlier this year. Pairing candid and emotional storytelling with upbeat, power-pop-inspired instrumentals, “Jessica” is another example of the unyielding potential shown by Mimicking Mars.