Three Track Week #32: Emotion, Energy and Atmosphere
Three songs that find their own balance between emotion, energy and atmosphere.
This week’s Three Track Week 32 moves between atmospheric Pop/R&B, driving ’70s-inspired rock and calm, expansive shoegaze. Karim Panzetta brings emotional restraint to “Not Made for Loving You”, Kurt Baker turns up the volume with “Wonder Woman”, while DIIV build a layered soundscape around the soft vocals and distorted guitars of “Kid”.
Karim Panzetta - “Not Made for Loving You”
“Not Made for Loving You” opens with warm synths before KARIM PANZETTA’s voice comes in with a strong and emotional delivery. The synths stay mostly in the background, joined by understated drums that leave plenty of space around the vocal. When the full beat arrives in the chorus, the song becomes more rhythmic without losing its calm atmosphere.
There’s something almost floating about the track, but it is still danceable. The synths carry a subtle hook and melodic layer that complements the vocal rather than competing with it. Everything feels deliberately restrained, which gives the song a smooth and intimate quality. Even when the beat becomes fuller, “Not Made for Loving You” remains a remarkably calm track.
Sound / Mood
The combination of warm synths, soft rhythmic elements and Panzetta’s emotional vocal gives the song its character. Nothing feels overcrowded. The production leaves enough room for the melody to stay clear, while the gradual introduction of the beat creates a natural sense of movement. It is the kind of track that can work both as a quiet late-night listen and as something you can move to.
Why This Matters
The calmness of “Not Made for Loving You” works well with what the song is actually about. Rather than turning the end of a relationship into a dramatic confrontation, KARIM focuses on the uncomfortable honesty of recognising that something is no longer working. The song is about the point where pretending to stay can become less honest than admitting you need to let go. That gives the track a quieter emotional tension: there is hurt underneath it, but also acceptance.
Context
Karim Panzetta is a singer, songwriter and producer whose music combines contemporary pop and R&B with atmospheric production and emotionally driven songwriting. His writing often draws from real experiences, transforming the central emotion of a situation rather than documenting it literally. Relationships, vulnerability, desire and self-worth are recurring themes in his work. “Not Made for Loving You” also reflects the increasingly cohesive sound and visual identity of his recent releases. KARIM writes, mixes and masters his own songs and works closely with Grammy-nominated producer Riley Urick, allowing songwriting, production and recording to remain closely connected. Alongside his music, he is building a wider creative world through content around his studio work, fashion, travel and everyday life, while continuing to develop an international audience across streaming and social platforms.
🎧 Stream "Not Made For Loving You” on Apple Music · Follow Karim Panzetta on Instagram
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Kurt Baker - “Wonder Woman”
“Wonder Woman” wastes no time getting into the groove. Driving drums start the track, followed by an electric guitar hook and Kurt Baker’s strong vocals. The guitars and drums stay tightly behind him throughout the verse, giving the song a solid forward motion without making the arrangement feel crowded.
The pre-chorus brings in backing vocals that lift the energy before the chorus hits with an immediately catchy hook. It is the kind of chorus that makes you want to turn the volume up, move with the rhythm and probably start headbanging. The whole track feels confident, sexy and driven, with Baker sounding completely at home in the classic rock setting.
Sound / Mood
The guitars are clearly at the centre of “Wonder Woman”, but the drums give them the momentum they need. The electric guitar solo after the second chorus is particularly well placed. It doesn't feel like an interruption or an obligatory rock moment; it pushes the song further and reinforces the confidence that runs through the entire track. There is a straightforwardness to “Wonder Woman” that works in its favour. It is simply a good rock song that knows exactly what it wants to sound like.
Why This Matters
“Wonder Woman” is deliberately larger than life. The song is Baker’s tribute to ’70s arena rock and to the superhero women who inspired its subject, and the production embraces that idea rather than trying to modernise it. The big guitars, strong hook and backing vocals give it the kind of energy that belongs in a room where the volume is turned all the way up.
Context
What makes the release particularly interesting is where the recording came from. “Wonder Woman” is the first taste of a complete album Kurt Baker recorded in Madrid during the pandemic with Swedish producer Ola Ersfjord and Canadian punk guitarist Mark O’Flaherty. Baker recently rediscovered the unreleased recordings while going through old demos, cassettes and hard drives in his parents’ basement in Maine. After a period of personal upheaval, he decided to finally bring the forgotten album back into the world. Released via Wicked Cool Records, the single is accompanied by Baker’s version of Slade’s “When Fantasy Calls”, a deeper cut from the band’s 1977 album "Whatever Happened to Slade". Together, the two tracks show Baker leaning fully into the glam and arena-rock side of his musical identity, with “Wonder Woman” opening the door to an album that had been sitting unheard for years.
🎧 Stream "Wonder Woman” on Apple Music · Follow Kurt Baker on Instagram
DIIV - “Kid”
“Kid” opens with strumming guitar and soft synth sounds, immediately creating a calm atmosphere. The drums remain relaxed, while a rhythmic synth enters alongside the vocals. Zachary Cole Smith’s voice sits softly at the front of the mix, keeping the track grounded even as more sounds begin to appear around it.
The chorus pulls the arrangement back to guitar and vocals, with additional sounds remaining in the background. Rather than creating a traditional big chorus, DIIV use the space to build a wider soundscape. There is a lot happening throughout “Kid”, but it never feels busy. Everything remains calm and controlled.
Sound / Mood
The contrast between the soft vocals and the changing guitar and synth textures is what gives the track its atmosphere. After the second chorus, a heavily distorted guitar suddenly enters, creating a much heavier moment without completely breaking the song’s calm character. The soft vocals eventually sit beautifully against the distortion before the track returns to quieter guitar and its layered soundscape. It is an interesting balance: “Kid” keeps introducing new textures and sounds, but never loses its sense of calm. The song feels expansive without becoming overwhelming, and the production gives each element enough space to exist within the larger landscape.
Why This Matters
That balance between density and calmness connects with what DIIV are exploring on their upcoming fifth album, "ZIRP!". The band describe the record as part of “The New Alternative” - a space where shoegaze textures, pop melody and contemporary production can exist without being restricted by traditional genre boundaries. “Kid” captures that idea particularly well. It can become heavier and more distorted without abandoning the melodic and atmospheric qualities that define the track.
Context
“Kid” is the second offering from "ZIRP!", due October 30 via Fantasy Recordings, following the previously released “The Fountain”. The album was produced by A. G. Cook, known for his work with artists including Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek. For DIIV, the collaboration became an opportunity to push their sound further while staying connected to the live energy that has shaped the band. Cook approached the record by spending time with DIIV’s live performances and recording live drums early in the process, alongside intricate guitar parts built around specific pedals. The resulting album is described as a response to the band’s long-standing tension between underground guitar music and pop instinct. On “Kid”, that tension feels particularly natural: distorted guitars, soft vocals, synths and atmospheric textures all occupy the same space without cancelling each other out.
Three artists. Three very different ways of balancing emotion, energy and atmosphere. Karim Panzetta keeps things intimate, turning relationship uncertainty into smooth, emotional Pop/R&B. Kurt Baker goes in the opposite direction, bringing the confidence and excess of ’70s arena rock back to life with “Wonder Woman”. DIIV find a space somewhere between softness and distortion, building a calm but expansive world with “Kid”. Different approaches, different sounds, but all three show how much atmosphere can shape the way a song makes you feel.
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