In his first solo release, Ashton Irwin leaves his mark in a big way.  

Ashton Irwin (of 5SOS) has announced his debut album Superbloom, out on October 23rd, with the release of his first single, Skinny Skinny – a poignant exposé into the inner workings of a demon-plagued mind. The demon, in this case, goes by the name of body dysmorphia. As a topic often avoided, his harrowing yet catchy lyricism is messaging not to be ignored. In a subtler statement, Irwin forgoes the use of drums – a defining attribute to him these past ten years – sticking with lush acoustics and vintage-tinged lo-fi electric guitars. His warm, smoky vocals wrap around you hauntingly, leaving their imprint on your skin. An essence of classic rock tinges the indie tones of the song. For a first single, Skinny Skinny shirks the expectations and delivers a hook-laden performance building the anticipation for his full-length record.

In the video, the music flows through Irwin’s limbs as he glides shirtless through the lyrics, rough sketches hovering over his body for added emphasis. In a moment towards the end, he grabs a sledgehammer and begins to smash the mirrors surrounding him. This mirror metaphor stretches past the self-disgust vividly felt in the lyrics to a shattering of preconceived notions. Skinny Skinny is no longer just heard, but seen and felt, too.

On the first single, Irwin said:

[Ashton’s 15 year-old brother]’s already caught up in his own mental image of what his body should look like. I thought that was such a crippling trap for a young man to try and walk through. I needed to write a song that captured the pain of body dysmorphia. I have been through stages in my life where I’ve been sickened by that state of mind.

Tracklisting

Scar

Have U Found What Ur Looking For

Skinny Skinny

Greyhound

Matter Of Time

Sunshine

The Sweetness

I’m To Blame

Drive

Perfect Lie