“Level Up”

A fact that will make you feel ancient: Ciara’s “Goodies” came out almost 15 years ago. That’s a testament to just how improbably resilient Ciara’s career has been. Though she’s never quite regained that initial “princess of crunk-n-B” level of mainstream stardom, she has sustained a cult fanbase and delivered a remarkably consistent run of songs to back it up. Ciara has spent the last decade in a whirlwind of genres, but is at her best when her work is physical—from two-step anthems like “1, 2 Step” to her futuristic dance music in the early 2010s to the more sensual meanings of “physicality” on career standout “Body Party.”

Her first single since 2015’s Jackie, “Level Up” is custom-engineered for virality. The track’s named for a micro-feud she started over an Instagram hashtag on a post with her new husband Russell Wilson, and it’s built on the turbo-shaking bones of DJ Telly Tellz’ “Fuck It Up” a Jersey club workout to which hundreds of people heeded the spoken intro: “No matter where you at, no matter where you from, no matter what dance you’re doing, just make sure you fuck it up to this song right here.” Ciara does, reproducing the countdown intro and hook (“fuck it up” becomes “level up”); it’s as instantly effective a sample as “My Boo” in “Body Party,” and producer J. R. Rotem mostly stays out of its way besides inserting a couple of plush bridges for a break.

Not that Ciara needs a break, judging by how she near-effortlessly keeps up with the track’s frenetic pace and with Parris Goebel and her ReQuest Dance Crew’s relentless choreography in the video. It’s also a defiant statement along the lines of “I’m Out,” with nonchalant delivery and a not-super-subtle dig at the somewhat generic, Dr. Luke-led production on Jackie: “Thank God I never settle/This beat is so much better.” Hard to argue with that.