“‘Toy’ hits hard because it says what many men feel but rarely admit — what if love makes you feel small instead of seen?”
There’s something striking about the new single Toy from Swadlincote’s own Erudition. It doesn’t ease you in. It doesn’t try to charm you. It steps forward with a darker tone and stays there. The song tells a simple story. A man feels he gives more than he gets. He feels ignored. Dismissed. Treated like he’s there for convenience rather than care. The title says it all. He feels like a toy. Picked up when needed. Dropped when not. What makes this track stand out is the shift in sound. Erudition has leaned toward pop-infused ska and reggae in the past. Here, that brightness is gone. In its place is a brooding, bass-heavy pulse. The beat feels deliberate. The low end carries weight. It sits under the vocal like a quiet warning.
There’s been talk of an 80s feel. Some have mentioned Depeche Mode. You can hear why. The vocal delivery has that cool restraint. It feels controlled but emotional. Yet there are no traditional synth layers driving this track. The atmosphere comes from guitar, bass, keys, and digital drums, all performed and arranged by Erudition himself. That matters. Because this isn’t a band effort polished by a big studio team. It was recorded in his own studio. He played everything. Sang everything. Built it piece by piece. The focus on bass and rhythm gives the song a darker spine. It feels tighter. More intense.
There’s also something honest about the theme. It’s not dramatic for the sake of it. It’s familiar. Most people have felt undervalued at some point. That quiet frustration. That slow realization that respect is missing. Toy feels like a turning point. It shows growth. It shows risk. It shows an artist willing to surprise himself. And that’s often when the best work happens.
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