I may well be a hopeless romantic, but there’s something about the culture of Valentine’s Day and early romances that makes me deeply cringe. The archetype of date night consistently centres around elegance – hushed conversations over candlelit dinners or slow walks across picturesque landscapes. This soft, demure sensitivity often disproportionately affects those of us who date men. When reflecting on previous dates, I recall many moments of minor clumsiness (physical or verbal) that have left me overthinking and reeling in embarrassment for months. Of course, chances are, I’m the only person who still remembers any of these. Nonetheless, it’s clear that these aesthetic pressures surrounding romance have had a lasting impact on how I carry myself through even the healthiest of relationships.

“A brutally accurate depiction of the excitement (and anxiety) of love taking over”

Enter hyperpop, the antidote to the quietening of femininity. The vivaciously intense synths and beats are a sharp contrast against the acoustic ballads prominent on most Valentine’s Day playlists. Equally, with hyperpop’s heavy sonic focus, the few lyrics that these tracks do contain often get straight to the point. Whether professing love with no hedging in sight or simply encouraging a moment of self-celebration, there’s an unbridled honesty to hyperpop that many of us could benefit from during the Valentine’s season.

‘Drop FM’ – Hannah Diamond and A.G. Cook

‘Drop FM’ is the sonic embodiment of innocent young love. I remember when I first stumbled across the giddy, almost childlike vocal delivery that takes centre stage in many of Hannah Diamond’s tracks. Initially, I questioned the approach, its youthful girlishness seeming out of place in music made for the club. However, this representation of non-sexualised infatuation is a rare narrative, often excluded from pop music. The delivery of this message is jolted and at times incoherent, a brutally accurate depiction of the excitement (and anxiety) of love taking over. Yet Diamond completely owns these oft taboo emotional extremities. By underscoring this vocal with erratic bass drawls and twinkling, video-game-esque synths, the passion of this track is not only normalised but required; any less emotional commitment would simply feel out of place.

‘Talk Talk’ – Charli XCX ft. Troye Sivan

In the year 2026, a woman taking the lead in romantic settings should not be deemed revolutionary. Yet Charli XCX’s simple request for more communication is a powerful one. She herself acknowledges the relatable flirting game that many of us awkwardly struggle with, trying to find the balance between eye contact and conversation. By contrast, the vocal delivery brings an unflappable coolness. Almost any Charli XCX track makes for a great self-esteem boost around Valentine’s Day thanks to her signature assertive approach, articulating each lyric with a calm confidence. Her assured tone is matched with the comparatively calm accompaniment of this track; while still maintaining the energy carried across BRAT, the synth layers are softer and the drumbeats simpler. ‘Talk Talk’ encourages us all to take a deep breath before we go forth and speak our mind in our romantic endeavours.

“There’s something powerful in producing a love song that sounds akin to a mosquito squealing in your ear”

’L.O.V.E.’ – SOPHIE

No electronic playlist would be complete without mention of the late hyperpop prodigy SOPHIE. ’L.O.V.E’’s white-noise-driven refrain is undeniably jarring, but there’s something powerful in producing a love song that sounds akin to a mosquito squealing in your ear. After all, while romance is the happy ending for many, it’s never without hitches along the way. Whether you’re spending this Valentine’s Day heartbroken or you’re simply tired of having romance shoved in your face, it’s easy to feel like love and its associated culture is comparable to a gnat buzzing around you and refusing to leave. On the flipside, maybe you’re just like me and have a quirky penchant for stylised white noise. After all, if you can’t handle me at my obnoxious noise-pop obsession, you don’t deserve me at my best.

The most experimental hyperpop tracks like SOPHIE’s ‘L.O.V.E.’ are undeniably an acquired taste. However, whatever you’re up to this Valentine’s Day, this genre has the tracks for you. Looking to brave a new relationship this February? Try Kim Petras’s ‘Confession’ or ‘I Like Ur Look’. Celebrating with a longer-term love? Stream Montaigne’s ‘die b4 u’ or Grimes’ Artangels. Even if you choose not to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, these tracks are a revitalising source of energy, self-love and unbridled emotion. From taking ownership of our love lives to leaving archaic societal expectations behind, we could all learn a few lessons from hyperpop.