Drawing us in with a metallic, dimensional soundscape, expanding with a cerebral riser into a guitar-driven rock universe with textured drums, Kwyjibo opens Dark Again with instrumental mastery and introspective prose as he sings, “What am I supposed to say? Spending life running away… I’m lost in a maze, constructed in my own brain…”
We are immediately captivated by the emotional depth and profound nature of what Kwyjibo is sharing. His message feels zeitgeist and universal – especially considering the challenges we face as individuals and a society today.
We learn that the narrative is steeped in the lonely weight of the pandemic. The washed-out guitars manifest a soundscape that does this justice, intertwined with the star’s aching vocals. The emotive nuance is prevalent with the track, Kwyjibo cites Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab for Cutie, Citizen, and Balance & Composure as sonic influences, which we can feel come to life, although there is no doubt that Kwyjibo is creating an intentional brand of artistry unto his own.
Speaking on the release, Kwyjibo confesses, “The main theme of Dark Again is towards wanting to help someone who is really struggling, but feeling powerless to say or do or give something that will truly help. While it can be difficult to just listen and face their truths, vulnerability and pain, sometimes it can also be the most valuable. The person struggling shares a lot of similarly to myself – dealing with a fractured sense of self, insecurity, overthinking and self-sabotage.”
Kwyjibo, also known as Charlie Lord, performed every sound on the track, and created the production in collaboration with Noah Althoff. With reference to his artistic ambition, Charlie adds, “As much as anything, to prove that I could. I’ve had the technical skills to do so for a long time, but have struggled to write or be confident in such. Dealing with my own mental struggles and second-guessing has been the major challenge in getting to this point.”
We are grateful that Kwyjibo is on his musical journey and sharing his words and sounds with such authenticity. We have added Dark Again to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Kwyjibo‘s accompanying track, Grey, and anticipate future releases from the emerging star.