By Tate Robinson
On August 1st, 2025, Dev Lemons released her debut album, “SURFACE TENSION”. Featuring eight songs, 2 of which were released as singles beforehand. Dev Lemons is a highly skilled producer which this album highlights along with her signature lyrical style of silly lyrics paired along with a serious meaning. Before discussing the album and its tracks, we should discuss two important projects that Devon/Dev has worked on recently that help to craft this album.
Dev has a more silly youtube channel named “Dev Limes” where she started a series called “I made a (artist) song without hearing it”. These videos consist of the idea that Dev tries to recreate a song by another artist but without volume, showing how she produces music and even her singing, although in the videos it is quite unpolished. This series of videos led to the production of her third EP, “songs with the volume on” (play on muted videos), where she created actually well polished using parts she enjoyed from her videos. This project was my favorite before the album, but I also enjoy the single “CEO OF MY ASS”, which is how I discovered her, many of the other releases are enjoyable.
The other project and what grew my love of Dev, was her side group “Queef Jerky” (which I will shorten to QJ), with fellow youtuber “Nickisnotgreen”. This group was known for its goofy/silly production as well as its silly, “Queefle” style lyrics that are almost nonsensical. In many songs, it is obvious that they are high just messing around. In many of their albums and songs they work with other youtubers, especially in the commentary space as that was what Nick was known for. Creating a song for “Chris James”, as well as on the song “Queef Stew” there are youtubers like “Andy King”, “Gabi Belle”, and “Hivemind Riley” which they went on to create an album with. Another song off the same album as “Queef Stew” features “ethan is online” (who is now trans and uses the name Eden [she/they]) which they went to make an album with her as well and created their most popular hit of “Pineapple upside down”. The group now seems to be dormant after their most recent album (which was the most professional by far), this hiatus was confirmed by Dev herself.
The first track of the album is “NICE TRY” which was the first single and released along with a music video. This track is only two minutes long but is fast, fun and punchy. This felt very familiar and very signature for Dev. Which it might be my favorite off the album with so many good choices it is hard to pick. The vocals feel like a nonstop line of words just coming at the listener, which fits the tone of the song hating the attention Dev is feeling. The beat is very present in the production of the song and almost never stops, at most takes a breath with verse changes. I struggle to identify the instruments in the song but one thing is for certain is that the ending of the song gives off someone leaving a conversation during a tension moment in an action movie.
The second track of the album is “MEDIA TRAIN” starts very bare, tricking the listener into thinking it is a quieter song before kicking into gear with lyrics, another high energy instrumental. This song to me draws from the sillier, “queefle” style of lyrics. This song like the last has no breaks in the lyrics just nonstop, fitting again as well as she thinks lowly of a man. During the bridge she starts to yell the lyrics increasing the aggression.
The third track of the album is “FACE” and is the first slower track of the album. Which instrumentally wise heavily features a guitar although it seems distorted. This is until the first chorus where the energy spikes once again. After the first verse there is a chorus of voices (seemingly Dev’s) that give off an angelic energy. As well in the pre-chorus, the same line is repeated that ends the second verse. These lines have a filter on them that gives off the energy someone is sinking, until the swell of energy starts. After the chorus is the first real break to just instruments. Before the chorus this song and its lyrics write Dev out to be sorry about the relationship but then the chorus hits and she realizes she shouldn’t be one feeling sorry. This shift in energy is especially present in the bridge, which the instruments swell up to stop then when they return the energy is almost rock like, Dev becoming more aggressive and even violent with the lyric “I wanna grab you by the neck and break it”. With being the first track to be over 3 minutes shows the complexity tracks bring.
The fourth track of the album is “DONT PINCH ME” and like I said I don’t have musical knowledge but the opening chords feel similar to “MEDIA TRAIN” but more muffled and electronic. While this muffled beat is all alone till about 10 seconds into a song, while not being the longest, it always seems long and puts me on edge for the lyrics to start. The lyrics are the star of this song, with the chorus repeated twice each time it occurs. These lyrics are very “Queefle” like. When looking at the lyrics, in the first verse, the first three lines all end with again, while the four following lines, don’t have end rhymes with each other. Then in the second verse and the pre-chorus in both groups they have end rhymes. But interestingly enough Verse one and Verse two/pre-chrous follow similar ideas, where the first three lines are nonsensical then the fourth line sets up the four lines to follow. I really enjoy this song and it’s kind of hard to explain why, I think I really enjoy the silly lyrics present in the song.
The fifth track of the album is “BROKE YOUR COVER” this song is most direct about calling out an ex on how horrible they had been and airing out the grievances. This song instrumentally starts simple once again with a kick beat, then a holy sounding vibe like something found on “songs with the volume on” starts over the beat. Dev’s singing in the first verse, plays to this holy vibe, as she is singing lighter and higher than usual, which is repeated twice then the verse happens and the holy vibe is gone instantly. The first line of the chorus is “Too bad you broke your cover” which talks about someone shattering their own safety or ideas people might have about them and showing them the (ugly) truth. This line is reflected in the instruments as the holy cover is lost and the dirt is shown. When Dev starts asking questions in the lyrics, her voice has a filter on it that gives it a vibe of someone mocking another. The post-chorus happens, the lyrics repeated twice talking about how the person only picks fights they win and the image that will bring someone (especially if they finally take a bad fight and break their cover). Then the second verse starts and the first four lines all end with an echo-y effect letting the words linger. While the next four lines go for a plainer tone really highlighting how horrible this person truly is. Then when the chorus hits this time it does seem holy but also distorted. Then that is dropped again during the pre-chorus. Then the end of the song instrumentally seems to wind down almost like a music box.
The sixth track is “STUCK AGAIN” the second single of the album. It picks up where the last track ends with almost an ominous noise that is hung up on. This song is very soft and slow with a guitar leading a song, and the lyrics are sung much more chill. The energy is brought up a little during the chorus but it feels more intentionally speaking then any other vibe. Then after that the song has an instrumental outro that feels very sincere to the rest of the song, like waves growing thicker and thinner instrumental wise, and getting more distorted as the song ends. This song is also only about two minutes long like “NICE TRY” but rather than being on the attack it feels more defensive. Being about hardships in relationships and getting through them, is the effort to grow and change to get through it really worth it, is the person really worth all the effort to stick it out through thick and thin, that is something someone may try to avoid thinking about but it is there.
The seventh track is “WHAT ABOUT YOU” which starts somber once again following the previous track. The chorus of this song is very short, only being two lines (five words), where the word “you” is held each time. The song becomes thinner as verse two starts but the soft memory vibe is still there, and Dev is more plainly singing. After verse two the instruments stop before a short breath and a whistle starts along with a chorus of “Ahs”. The whistle is so comforting, listening to this album it feels reliable and safe, just makes me feel some type of way. Then verse three comes in and is very similar to the way the first verse is sung. The “ahs” come back as the outro starts with the same lyrics being repeated but the song becoming very distorted.
The eighth and final track is “NOTHING CHANGES” and is the longest song, this feels like a title track to me. Starts with the same whistling as the last track but has a filter on it that makes it feel like it’s coming through the breeze. Then the chorus comes in along with the singing and halfway through the first line, a drum beat comes in, more rock instantly changing the vibe. From one of nostalgia to one of more angst. The lyrics are much slower but filled with intensity from the drum. Then as the chorus ends, in the refrain, there is a drum roll and Dev yells nothing and holds it to a synth picking up, and then repeats keeping the energy high with drums and synth. This angst vibe is continued into the verse. After the verse, the refrain happens again, very similar to the first. This time ending with synth and drums stopping to what seems like distorted wind sounds and the guitar being played again. Then the outro starts after an instrumental break. After the refrain the vibe was shifted from angst to sympathy. The whistle sends the listening farewell as it ends the album.
These tracks highlight Dev’s lyrics and the production behind them, curating the way you should be feeling during a song. The album starts with very high energy and general anger to a calmer vibe but the anger is still present and feels more targeted. These tracks are amplified together as an album, being enjoyable on their own but possessing a feeling about something when all played with each other. This being her debut album and feeling so polished and intentional shows how skillful she is when creating music.
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