There’s a lot to cover around ‘Slowly’, as the record is framed into Kaleb Hikele’s longstanding career and purposeful songwriting. Yet, we feel as though we should start by just enjoying the song as it is. Removing all of the overarching facts from it, truly connecting with its soothing, gentle and cathartic aural character. From such a wholesome standpoint, it’s easy to appreciate the track for its essence: a fragment of stillness and emotional release wrapped into a hazy indie-folk livery.
‘Slowly’ also takes up an intense, heartwrenching livery when needed. Towards the halfway mark, the record transforms into a more explosive and dramatic cut, although never quite forgetting where it came from. Eventually, Hikele’s nuanced vocals return to their roots, lulling the listeners into a relatable and introspective lyrical journey. Anyway, let’s widen the lens… with us telling you that ‘Slowly’ fits into a larger, upcoming body of work, ‘Storytelling’, Kaleb’s fifth solo album to date.
Recorded in an ex church converted into a recording studio, Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Canada, ‘Slowly’ is a truly intimate and personal effort for Hikele. As he explains: “It is the first song I ever wrote for the love of my life, Jess. This song from 2016 is like a handwritten letter to myself, narrating the early stages of falling in love while it’s happening. The emotions we experience in this moment have driven the song to swell and resettle just like the tide rolling in, or the eye of the storm coming straight towards you.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Slowly’ on Spotify and YouTube:
