Sparks meet strobes on Crybaby’s “Love On Repeat”

Already a well established DJ proving her talent with a slew of solo releases and festival slots, London-based Anna Straker tired at navigating the misogyny and ageism in the music industry. Both forged and forced by frustration, in 2023 she created Crybaby as a clubland alter ego. This artistic offshoot a propulsive, unbridled machination of her fearless rave energy and unapologetically feminine and pop sensibilities.

Created with Charlie Boon, her latest single “Love On Repeat” continues to run with her torch of melding real world feelings into exhilarating warehouse bangers. “This is my Crybaby take on a love song,” she explains. “I wrote it during that intense, all-consuming early stage of a relationship, and its euphoric vibe gets me so emotional every time I hear it.”

Indeed “Love On Repeat” anchors its message through the spoken hook repeating against thumping, wildly synths. “Got me closer to you than I think I’ve ever been / Baby hold me like you know I’ll give you everything,” she sings in a contrasting head voice, as the production swells around the vocals in the most dream-like manner.

With how naturally Crybaby produces songs made for industrial warehouses and underground raves, it’s hard to imagine Straker’s own classical piano training – although, the musicality shines through on the polish of her craft. It’s certainly not only going to be “Love” on repeat across UK dancefloors this summer, but rather Crybaby’s whole catalogue.