From the moment those first piano chords cruise in, the melancholy tone of “Sub Zero” is established. The song already has an emo vibe to it based on the first verse, but when the chorus rushes in with its first words “My world’s so cold/I’m hard as stone,” the emotional lamenting goes full-throttle.
When Livvi sings lyrics like, “Another blow and my heart might stop/I’m losing feeling, am I dead or not?” the song sounds like anything Secondhand Serenade would sing or many of the pop-punk/emo hybrid bands. Make no mistake, Livvi Franc is considered an R&B singer from Barbados (much more of a talent than Rihanna folks), and the song’s beat is what keeps “Sub Zero” close to the R&B category. Still, “Sub Zero” is pop with a sensibility that transcends genres and categories.
Atlanta-based producer Oak provided the beat for “Sub Zero” and female songwriter Frankie Storm (Rihann’s “Please Don’t Stop the Music”) wrote the song. Oak has been gradually making a name for himself producing synth-filled electro pop-R&B affairs for Jennifer Lopez, Lloyd and Toni Braxton. Dark, angsty guitars groan in the background, that help to give “Sub Zero” a proper mood of despair.
