# URL IRL

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"**URL IRL**" is a song by American rapper [Cities Aviv](/source/Cities_Aviv), released on September 26, 2013, as the [lead single](/source/Lead_single) from his debut studio album, *[Come to Life](/source/Come_to_Life_(Cities_Aviv_album))*. Written and produced by Cities Aviv himself, the song takes inspiration from 1980s [electronic pop](/source/Electropop) and dance tracks, with the song's instrumental being made out of [sample chops](/source/Sampling_(music)) from the era. An accompanying [music video](/source/Music_video), directed by TerrorEyes, was released on December 9. The track's themes are heavily influenced by the internet and its effect on modern culture.[1][2] Upon its release, "URL IRL" received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its production style, as well as Cities Aviv's vocal delivery.

## Composition

An upbeat[3] and energetic song,[1] the instrumental of "URL IRL" is made out of "hyperactive" [sample chops](/source/Sampling_(music)), which are arranged in an "off-kilter" rhythm.[2] The song has a "1980s styled bounce", and features "distorted shouts" from Cities Aviv, who shout-raps affirmations that seem to race alongside the song's [beat](/source/Beat_(music)).[2]

In a press release for "URL IRL", Cities Aviv described the purpose of the song's name, stating that it "is a pseudonym for YOU IN REAL and I IN REAL. To be fully realized." Cities Aviv stated the track was "a dichotomy of realizations involving modern worldly existence and total eternal existence. Blindly accepting self love in the face of your mirror."[2]

## Release

"URL IRL" was released as the lead single to *Come to Life* on September 26, 2013.[2] An accompanying [music video](/source/Music_video), directed by TerrorEyes, was released on December 9. The video opens with a shot of a [boombox](/source/Boombox), where a tape is inserted, causing the song to begin playing.[4][5]

## Critical reception

"URL IRL" received generally positive reviews from critics. Writing for *[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website))*, Jonah Bromwich described the song as "a two-minute comet of energy that's a high-concept Technicolor paean to the power of cyberexistence." He felt that the song was as "unabashedly energetic as you’d expect a celebration of online culture to be."[1] Writing for the same publication, David Turner described "URL IRL" as one of Cities Aviv's most "immediate" songs since the track "Float On", originating from his debut mixtape *[Digital Lows](/source/Digital_Lows)* (2011). He noted that its name, along with the names of other tracks on *Come to Life*, "shows Cities Aviv connecting digital dots and hashing through how it affects everyday life."[6] Birkut of *[Tiny Mix Tapes](/source/Tiny_Mix_Tapes)* praised the song's "beautifully coiled samples and attention grabbing chants".[7] *[Complex](/source/Complex_Networks)'*s Graham felt the track was reminiscent of the "early days of hip-hop", comparing his delivery and lyricism to that of the American [hip-hop group](/source/Hip_hop_group) [Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five](/source/Grandmaster_Flash_and_the_Furious_Five).[8] Emilie Friedlander of *[The Fader](/source/The_Fader)* felt that the song "takes [Dilla](/source/J_Dilla)-style sampling to a hyperactive, joyful, almost [footwork](/source/Footwork_(genre))-fast extreme", opining that "while it may only further obfuscate the enigmatic inner workings of its creator's brain, Mays' explanation of the title paints him as something of a digital era [philosopher](/source/Philosophy)".[2]

## References

1. Bromwich, Jonah (September 27, 2013). ["Cities Aviv: "URL IRL""](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/16103-cities-aviv-url-irl/). *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2025-05-26.

1. Friedlander, Emilie (September 26, 2013). ["Stream: Cities Aviv, "URL IRL""](https://www.thefader.com/2013/09/26/stream-cities-aviv-url-irl). *The FADER*. Retrieved 2025-05-26.

1. Whittaker, Montrey. ["Cities Aviv – "URL IRL" – EARMILK"](https://earmilk.com/2013/09/30/cities-aviv-url-irl/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250527153710/https://earmilk.com/2013/09/30/cities-aviv-url-irl/) 2025-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-05-27.

1. Deville, Chris (2013-12-09). ["Cities Aviv – "URL IRL" Video (Stereogum Premiere)"](https://www.stereogum.com/1594521/cities-aviv-url-irl-video-stereogum-premiere/news/). *Stereogum*. Retrieved 2025-05-27.

1. ["Cities Aviv, "URL IRL""](https://imposemagazine.com/tv/cities-aviv-url-irl-video). *IMPOSE Magazine*. 2013-12-10. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250527155537/https://imposemagazine.com/tv/cities-aviv-url-irl-video) 2025-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-05-27.

1. Turner, David. ["Cities Aviv: Come to Life"](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18933-cities-aviv-come-to-life/). *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2025-05-26.

1. Birkut. ["Music Review: Cities Aviv - COME TO LIFE"](https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/cities-aviv-come-to-life). *Tiny Mix Tapes*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250526203517/https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/cities-aviv-come-to-life) 2025-05-26 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-05-26.

1. Graham. ["Cities Aviv - "URL IRL""](https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/a/crax/cities-aviv-url-irl). *Complex*. Retrieved 2025-05-26.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [URL IRL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL_IRL) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/URL_IRL?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.