Gesaffelstein, Lost in the Fire | Track Review 🎵

French electronic musician Gesaffelstein enlists The Weekend for a sleek, pleasant, and controversial electro-urban-pop single, “Lost in the Fire.”

“I wanna fuck you slow with the lights on / You’re the only one I’ve got my sights on / Type of sex you could never put a price on / I’ll take it off, you’re the one I’ll roll the dice on.”  Deep lyrics… said no one ever… LOL.  Anyways, perhaps the name Gesaffelstein doesn’t instantly ring a bell with everyone.  The French techno artist and DJ collaborated with The Weeknd on two of the songs from his 2018 EP, My Dear Melancholy, (“I Was Never There” and “Hurt You”).  This time around, it is Gesaffelstein who is credited as the main attraction, with The Weeknd lending his pipes as the featured artist on single, “Lost in the Fire.” Like many songs by The Weekend, there’s plenty to love about “Lost in the Fire.”

But before we focus on The Weekend, let’s focus on Gesaffelstein.  The production is sleek, warm, and alluring to the nth degree.  There’s nothing crazy or game changing here, but simply good, solid production work, intact with driving rhythm.  The warm synths are a perfect backdrop for The Weekend to sing over.  As always, he sounds superb vocally, flaunting his upper tenor vocals.  So, Gesaffelstein gets an ‘A.’

As for the lyrics, the record isn’t without plenty of sex, but more notably, controversy.  What’s rubbing people the wrong way? It’s oversimplifying lesbianism as a phase that he can fix via sex. Case in point, the second verse:

“You said you might be into girls
Said you’re going through a phase…
Well, baby, you can bring a friend
She can ride on top your face
While I fuck you straight.”

Not a fine moment for The Weeknd, and it sort of hurts this otherwise pleasant urban-pop joint.

Final Thoughts 

So, the question regarding “Lost in the Fire” is are you able to excuse the horrid representation of lesbianism? If you are, then “Lost in the Fire” is a surefire bop.  If not, then perhaps you’re looking for The Weeknd to expand his script behind all things oversexed.  That lesbian reference doesn’t even tackle another dimension of “Lost in the Fire” – a possible Drake diss (“And I just want a baby with the right one / ‘Cause I could never be the one to hide one”).  Personally, like the song, don’t like the gay reference, and I find the Drake connection interesting.  Somehow, Gesaffelstein isn’t a talking point on his own song.

Gesaffelstein • Lost in the Fire (Ft. The Weeknd) [Single] • Gesaffelstein / Columbia • Release: 1.11.19

Photo Credits: Gesaffelstein / Columbia