Band Of The Week // KAWALA
Announcing their debut mixtape, Paradise Heights, KAWALA are here to set the tone for your summer.
North London-based outfit KAWALA are gearing up for a summer of reconnection and reconciliation, much like the rest of the population. After a year of distanced interactions and virtual meetings, their optimism for the period going forward comes in the form of their newly announced debut mixtape, Paradise Heights, which is set for release on July 23rd via EMI Records.
The mixtape consists of a collection of six tracks, all upbeat and inspiring in their unique way to add some colour and spark in an irresistibly hooking manner. Vocalist/guitarist Daniel McCarthy has expressed his hopes that these songs will “mark the end of a difficult period and capture that feeling of going forward into something sunny and more positive,” while vocalist Jim Higson elaborates that the title “alludes to the heights we’ll hopefully reach as we all come out of lockdown.”
Kicking things into motion, the band shares their first single off the collection in the form of Angry Man, which swings off with acoustic guitar and gentle percussion in a tame yet powerful sound, trickling into your subconscious without much resistance to remain lodged in your brain. A swinging indie melody is the perfect backdrop for the airy vocals, all of which offer an ethereal feeling to lift you from all of your thoughts holding you down. Lyrically, Daniel explains that the track is about “[t]he frustratingly constant influx of incredibly angry men out there and the effect they’re having on the world.”
Feeling excited about what they will have to offer, we spoke to the band further about what can be expected from their debut mixtape.
What’s a motto you live by?
If you ever feel down, you can simply rely on the pure joy of our electric guitarist Dan to make you feel good.
If your sound had a colour, what colour would it be?
I’d have to go for Blue as our latest mixtape colour has accidentally ended up being the most blue photo that’s ever been taken.
If you could set the mixtape to a TV show or movie, what would it be the soundtrack for?
Well funny you mention that, as we’ve actually made our own TV YouTube series to run alongside the mixtape. It’s also called ‘Paradise Heights’ and I guess would have to be the perfect show to be soundtracked by the mixtape. In part as it’s already soundtracked by the mixtape!
If you had to pick one lyric line from the mixtape to sum it up, what line would you pick?
In our song Back Of My Hand we talk about the way our area has changed and been gentrified and I reckon it’s some of the best lyrics we’ve written. I love lines like ‘hands change over time and prove much harder to read, weathered skin all creased with broken bones underneath.’
What’s your fondest memory of producing the mixtape?
It was actually that eureka moment of realising we had accidentally compiled the most ideal for us tracklist for a mixtape without even realising. We had all these songs recorded without an obvious idea of what to do with them and suddenly it all clicked!
Can you share any behind the scenes stories with us?
On our first ever trip abroad with the band, our bassist Reeve managed to lose his passport on the actual plane to Holland. It then got flown back to the UK while we ran after the plane. Meanwhile we all headed straight to the pub with minimal sympathy.
What’s a message you hope to send with the mixtape?
We just want to encapsulate that feeling of (hopefully) impending freedom from the madness that has been the last two years and just a general sense of hope for better times.
And finally, slightly cliché, but what does music mean to you?
I guess it’s just that thing that makes everything better, you know. Like it can transform any mood, heal problems, connect with any emotion. Most importantly it can provide escapism when you need it most.