"Break It Off" is an uptempo,[1] "heartbreak-infused" drum and bass[2] and experimental pop song with "sugary" vocals[3] from PinkPantheress, who wrote and produced the song while she was at university,[4][5] which samples the drum and bass song "Circles" by English DJ Adam F.[6]DIY's Chris Taylor described it as "a tale of late-night yearning", and Steffanee Wang of Nylon called it "a dizzying mix of breakbeats and edgy pop elements".[7][8] After PinkPantheress posted a clip of the song to TikTok in March, it went viral and was used in over 500,000 videos on the platform.[9]
Reception and commercial performance
David Renshaw of The Fader called "Break It Off" "an algorithm-breaking bolt from the blue, destined to be played on repeat throughout the summer months".[6] Douglas Greenwood of i-D called the song an "earworm" while Complex's Seamus Fay described it as a "fast-paced, oddball single".[5]Stereogum's Chris DeVille described the song as a "playfully flirtatious melodic flutter", with Steffanee Wang of Nylon stated that it was "a great primer for the unpinnable vibe of [PinkPantheress's] vibe: simultaneously new and nostalgic."[10][8]Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called the song "elegant in [its] own right" and wrote that it "encapsulate[s] the enthusiasm and thrill of listening to someone else's elegant song, one that rousts you from your shell and thrusts you into your own joy or sadness".[11]
A visualizer for "Break It Off", directed by Malt Disney, was released on 21 June 2021. The video uses footage of demolition, car crashes, and memes with "abstract" animations superimposed over it.[9] PinkPantheress called the visualizer a "doozy".[5]
