PLAY THE GAME

跳入光怪陸離的遊戲，這裡的主場由自己掌握
Gambling your life, the bet is on your sanity.

人的感受從來不是非黑即白，而是如光影般交錯流動——細膩、難以言說。在 Cait Lin 凱琳即將於九月推出的首張全英文創作迷你專輯《GRADIENTS》裡，便試圖以音樂描繪那些藏在人心深處、難以捉摸的情緒變化，那些屬於感受與感受之間的「漸層」。

主打單曲〈PLAY THE GAME〉源於 Cait Lin 凱琳對當代生活的觀察：人們在社群媒體上閃閃發光，彷彿掌控一切，私底下卻常感疲憊、焦慮，甚至孤單，就像在現實中的派對狂歡，有時竟是為了逃避壓力；網路上的虛擬姿態，則反映出渴望被看見的心情。我們在如今短暫的興奮感裡尋找存在的痕跡，矛盾交錯之際，總有人說：「就當作是一種玩世不恭的生活態度吧」，彷彿一切別無選擇。

這首歌想捕捉的，正是那種「既美麗又脆弱」的情緒樣貌。〈PLAY THE GAME〉由 Cait Lin 凱琳與摯友 Cohen Bargas 共同創作，製作人 Kay “Kojo” Ansah 操刀，編曲宛如一座深夜舞池：紫光閃爍、煙霧瀰漫、空氣中飄著性感、危險且令人迷失的氣息。尤其 Cohen 的吉他旋律牽引夜晚流動的節奏，音色避開過於乾淨與精緻，保留狂放的律動與態度——你知道自己在遊戲人間，也看穿一切。間奏中反覆低語「Just Play」，亦喚起 2000 年代 Pop／R&B 的懷舊氛圍：感性、灑脫，略帶野性。

而封面形象，由曾入圍金曲裝幀設計的 ECHO YANG 操刀，新銳攝影師 JOSH HSU（許書維）掌鏡，三首前導單曲的視覺延續專輯《GRADIENTS》的核心概念——「漸層」，以光線流動貫穿整體視覺語言。設計從〈Make Time〉提取亮橘色作為主軸，隨著不同歌曲的情緒推進，色彩亦漸漸轉變：〈Stand Still〉為明亮橘，至〈PLAY THE GAME〉則轉化為深橘紅與暗影。字體設計同時呼應此一色彩遞進，象徵音樂中內在狀態的層層轉譯，逐步邁入更沉潛、具張力的聽覺場域，令人也期待起 Cait Lin 凱琳在完整迷你專輯中，展現更加多元且成熟的歌者面貌。

Verse 1
Thinking bout the days
when life was guilt-free,
Now your bestie’s Addy,
she smokes herself away .

Her mama smiles,
Cause there’s nothing to blame.
Picture perfect lifestyles,
all just done in vain.

Verse 2
Following your name,
cause a brother told me.
You slid into my dm’s,
we down a glass champagne.

A walk of shame,
with altered destinations.
Don’t need your contemplations,
this is where I'm meant to be.

Chorus
So why we popping pills,
And dropping dollar bills
Just to runaway from the pain?
Just play the game

You know it’s meant to be,
When life gives it for free,
And there’s so much just left to gain.
Just play the game

Verse 3
Gambling your life,
the bets on your sanity.
Take a deep breath,
back to your reality.

Your not alone,
you know what it should be.
Take your broken pieces,
Remedy and then run free.

Chorus
So why we popping pills,
And dropping dollar bills
Just to runaway from the pain?
Just play the game

You know it’s meant to be,
When life gives it for free,
And there’s so much just left to gain.
Just play the game

Bridge
Cause it’s meant to be,
Yeah we're feeling free.
Just play the game.

Running from the pain,
What you meant to gain,
Just play the game.

Just play
Just play
Just play

Solos

Chorus
So why we popping pills,
And dropping dollar bills
Just to runaway from the pain?
Just play the game

You know it’s meant to be,
When life gives it for free,
And there’s so much just left to gain.
Just play the game