DWY Shows Emotional Side Through ‘8-Bit Memories’
Do you ever find your memories hazy and unclear? Is looking back similar to looking through a prism? The South London artist DWY tries to answer those questions in his debut 7-track-long mixtape called 8-bit memories. Is DWY successful in encapsulating the emotion described in the questions above? Let’s find out.
Gelato
From the start of the song, we are greeted with vocals reminiscent of artists like Giveon or Brent Faiyaz. We can hear alternating guitars in the background and ambient effects. Lyric-wise the song is connected to a very important person to the singer. He knew that the relationship they had wasn’t going to last.
“We had a false dawn, the sun shined again” is one of the lyrics that makes that clear.
Why is the song called Gelato? Just like Icarus melted his wax by flying near the sun, similarly, DWY melted his Gelato, and instead of falling into the sea, he fell into his memories.
Everytime I See You Again
The second track on the list is connected to a world constantly moving. On our journey, we encounter trials and tribulations, and sometimes we see people from the past.
DWY uses a metaphor of freezing in a memory. This track embodies emotions connected to living in a loop and not being able to move on, even if we wanted to.
Black Boy
Black Boy is a reference to the current happenings around the globe. DWY voices his anger connected to racial injustice.
“They killed another Black Boy.”
The singer mourns the person the titular Black Boy was, and the person that he could have become. Lyrics are packed with names like MLK and Tupac sending a strong message on smooth hip-hop beats.
You & Me
We can guess what this song is going to be about from the title of the song. Serene and calm audio track accompanying lyrics about people being flawed is what makes this song a worthwhile listen. DWY conveys that even though he knows that this relationship might explode, he is willing to take that risk.
Even the explosion might be beautiful.
Flaws/Only human
The topic of flaws continuous on the next track. It is a much slower song than the previous one. Everyone commits mistakes and cultivating empathy is necessary for our common good. He ends the song with the following lyrics”
“I am just like you, so please don’t shoot, I am only human.”
Not ready
We all know the feeling of not being ready to do something. Whether it is quitting a job or ending a relationship it is never easy. The latter is tied to the core message of this track.
DWY knows that this relationship was never meant to be. Phrases like “pain is not a rumor” and “cupid has a weird sense of humor” accompany the listener on this musical journey. The song escalates at the end and merges with a serene violin delivery.
Summers over
An ending summer is always connected with feelings of nostalgia. Change is constant and coming to terms with that is one of the most important things in life. Everything is temporary and this song is DWY’s way of saying that.
It is a beautiful, but serene way of ending the album. Hazy and unclear emotions encapsulated on those 7-tracks are reason enough to give this album a listen. DWY manages to show us his emotional side through the prism of this mixtape. His music is Demur certified, as we believe that he has a bright artistic future ahead.
“The mixtape is based off my life from the age of nineteen until now,” explains DWY “It discusses relationships and figuring yourself out. During the whole period, I was really good friends with a girl. We always had a bit of chemistry, but something was in the way.” he adds “I love the films of Quentin Tarantino and movies like mid90s. So, telling stories is my main thing, and the project captures nostalgia in its many forms. That’s why it’s called 8-Bit Memories. You see memory through a prism-like an 8-bit Nintendo Gameboy. It’s hazy and not quite clear. That’s how I’m viewing the specific time in my life.”
