Ciara Wants Us To “Level Up”
Pitchforks tells us: ‘Ciara’s first single since 2015’s Jackie, “Level Up†is custom-engineered for virality. The track’s named for a micro-feud she started over an Instagram hashtag on a post with her new husband Russell Wilson, and it’s built on the turbo-shaking bones of DJ Telly Tellz’ “Fuck It Up†a Jersey club workout to which hundreds of people heeded the spoken intro: “No matter where you at, no matter where you from, no matter what dance you’re doing, just make sure you fuck it up to this song right here.†Ciara does, reproducing the countdown intro and hook (“fuck it up†becomes “level upâ€); it’s as instantly effective a sample as “My Boo†in “Body Party,†and producer J. R. Rotem mostly stays out of its way besides inserting a couple of plush bridges for a break.’