Track By Track: DWY
Acclaimed South London singer and songwriter DWY released his latest mixtape, Self-Contained. The project encapsulates the singer in his rawest form, with most of the tracks being toned down to a single guitar playing under DWY’s signature sultry vocals and equally vulnerable lyrics. It’s hard not to hear the growth in DWYs artistry throughout the tape; from the flawless transitions to the unapologetic confidence within his voice, the London singer is baring his all in an augmented, authentic way.
For Listen’s track-by-track segment, DWY took the time to break down the meaning and story behind the 6 songs on Self-Contained.
Solid Gold
I wrote Solid Gold in 2017, the same day I wrote Over You (the first record I released). I wrote solid gold out of a place of pure vulnerability. I was at my brokest and my lowest and it really affected my sense of self and masculinity. All of my flaws seemed magnified and I became insecure about myself, my career, and our relationship. I remember feeling like I was drowning in life and gasping for air. It sat on the hard drive for years and I kinda didn’t have intentions of putting out, then one day I was just going through my iTunes and was like, hmm let me try and rework this. So I stripped it down to just the chords and built it back up again.
Badu Feels
This record came about so organically. Me & my roommate were in the house just freestyling over this guitar loop impersonating singers and as soon as Edwin (Arzu) said the words Badu Feels, I was like oh shit there’s a song here. I wrote it really fast maybe an hour and I had the whole song. My process can be really lonely sometimes, so it was nice to just write from a place of fun… even if its not a fun song! Badu Feels is the fist time I really talk about my mental health and personal battles with anxiety and depression. I really meant it when I asked “did I miss my prime”.
Jenny
Writing Jenny really changed my life and how I saw myself. I was always an insecure singer but the day Gabe (Goldwash) and I wrote Jenny, I really felt like ok you’re a singer which sounds weird to say I know. This is another song that came super easy. It was my second trip to LA in 2018, Gabe and I wrote in his bedroom in Highland park on his Wurli. The song is really me playing out my reality through the lens of the movie Forrest Gump. There’s this inevitability to love sometimes, you can’t really run from it. Forest and Jenny lived entirely separate lives but this magnetism always drew them back, and I guess the romantic in me hopes for that. An ex once told you I’m always running and searching for something, so I always felt connected to Forest.
I just want to give a special shout-out to Yuli on this song. She played Viola on most of the mixtape and really helped elevate the music. When I was recording her for this song she started riffing and it inspired me to write that outro.
Pull Up
I’m talking my shit… This is my ego standing at the front of my mind saying “Fuck who you’re with, I’m that nigga… and I’ll always be”.
“Caught between entropy & jealousy, Been around the world, but you’re still my home”
It’s selfish and melancholy. I don’t know if I want you, but I don’t want anyone else to. You’re familiar and sometimes we cling to that when we’re scared of the future. Holding onto moments that are gone.
Self-Contained
This record means a lot to me. It’s naked. There’s nowhere to hide sometimes and you’re forced to expose yourself. That moment when you’re laying with someone and your breathing is in sync, faces so close your breathing in the same air. I wrote this at like 2 in the morning, my roommate had a girl over so I was whisper recording just laying in my bed with my laptop. Vocally and emotionally I’m exposed there’s nowhere to hide on this song.
You
I remember when I saw I had a session with Nate Fox, and assuming we were gonna make something completely different than what we ended up doing. Me, Nate & Seej had so much fun in the studio. It always makes me laugh that it took a session in LA to make my most UK-sounding song. It came together super easy, the song really fell out of me. Its sad but you can can dance to it which I feel is an emotion sweet spot. I’m pining for her love. I’m saying “All I want is you” and I’m not sure where she’s standing. I remember coming home and playing it for Edwin, and as the hook is playing he just goes “What you on? Tell me what you’re on?” And I was like thats its thats what was missing. This is song is different from what I think people expect from me, but on this mixtape I wanted to put more of me into the music. And I BE OUTSIDE!