Then it developed this much deeper meaning.вЂќ The lyrics of вЂMarathonвЂ™ feel quite fed up, which I think we all are these days.вЂќДM: вЂњDaydreaming and escapism felt a nice topic of song when we were writing about it, quite wholesome and fun. It happened upon making sense with the times in a way that was never intentional. Obviously, itвЂ™s a fairly upbeat-feeling song, but with a juxtaposition in the lyrics being quite incredibly depressing.вЂќДM: вЂњItвЂ™s quite angst-y and quite stressed. JH: вЂњThe genetic makeup of the entire song, from the writing to the production, is a combination of every classic trick that weвЂ™ve ever used. Suddenly, being in that world for the first time is a bit of a culture shock.вЂќ

ItвЂ™s a tale of how novice we both were at it because we had been in these long-term relationships. You could meet up with one person, and that was this random person on the internet you had nothing in common with. Going on three dates a week for months on end.вЂќДM: вЂњThe lockdown walking dates: That was a horrible time to be alive. Jim Higson: вЂњItвЂ™s just an endless amount of going on dates. Talking about a natural, direct thing that we were both experiencing.вЂќ This is what theyвЂ™re doing.вЂ™вЂќДM: вЂњThat was probably the first turning point for us giving it a go at being a bit more vulnerable in our writing. As soon as it came back, we were like, вЂNo matter what we do here, this has got to open an album.вЂ™ Having that big, epic opener-it just felt like there was no place for it other than to kick things off. Here, the duo take us through the album, track by track.ДM: вЂњWe wrote it and went in to produce it with our friend Joe Rubel, whoвЂ™s a brilliant producer working with pretty much everyone these days. вЂњWe learned that itвЂ™s all right to be vulnerable because it produces more meaningful music,вЂќ says Higson. That emotional scale complements the richness of music that draws on pop, folk, indie, R&B, Afrobeat and electronic. Now is the time to start talking about it.вЂ™ That was quite a pivotal moment.вЂќДЄccordingly, Better With You transmits anger, hurt, optimism and joy as they explore community and isolation (вЂњEchoesвЂќ), introspection (вЂњSailorвЂќ), escapism (вЂњTicket to RideвЂќ) and the frustrations of the dating game (вЂњSearchingвЂќ). We were like, вЂWeвЂ™re in the exact same boat.

вЂњWeвЂ™d both come out of fairly toxic, really long-term relationships within about six months of each other. вЂњSuddenly, it felt appropriate to be a bit more vulnerable in our writing,вЂќ says McCarthy. Instead, they were marooned at home with nothing to do except write new songs and interrogate their emotions.

TheyвЂ™d been due to record their debut album in 2020, expecting to take songs already earmarked for the record to a studio and nail the whole thing in one fairly swift stretch. So, weвЂ™ve always stayed clear of that.вЂќ But as the London five-pieceвЂ™s best-laid plans unravelled during the first UK lockdown, there was a re-think. ItвЂ™s quite weird singing harmonies about someone elseвЂ™s love life. вЂњWeвЂ™ve always found it fairly awkward to write a song about a relationship,вЂќ Higson tells Apple Music. Being childhood friends, KAWALAвЂ™s vocalists, Jim Higson and Daniel McCarthy, have often avoided getting too personal.

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