An indie artist whose compositions strike directly at the heart, Dawson's newest release is another alluring slice of sorrowful, desolate songwriting that will leave you with all the feels.
'More Than I Bargained For' plays on themes of apathy, discontent, and repetition in a relationship as the Perth artist draws you in sonically, weaving an emotive tapestry of alt-folk. Guitar strumming rich in sentiment, each strike of the fretboard evokes a brooding sense of gloominess that's starkly beautiful, the melancholic glumness enhanced by dense yet delicate drums as Dawson's vocals carry a hint of despair alongside a resigned feeling of loss.
The sonic touch of a wailing saxophone adds to the haunted soundscape of bruised indie folk, art rock. It's a mesmerising ride showcasing an artist worthy of your attention who's destined for bigger stages.
"'More Than I Bargained For' is a song about feelings of apathy and discontent in a relationship, like no matter what you try you always end up in the same place," Dawson says. "It's also about not knowing whether these feelings are a result of something changing within yourself or someone else."
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow 9 August (alongside B-side single 'If I Could Read You, Would I Want To?'), today scenestr is thrilled to premiere 'More Than I Bargained For'. Enjoy.
"'More Than I Bargained For' is a good example of me having fun making noise and recording it," adds Dawson. "I wanted to step away from the computer and synths and focus more on creating a cohesive song with limited instruments.
"My good friend Luke Minness helped me with the saxophone that you hear and we recorded him all around my house to get a strange, roomy sound.
"I ended up playing everything else on the song, mostly with one or two takes (mistakes and all). The point was to achieve a sound that wasn't polished, wasn't perfect but sounded honest. I hope that comes across."
