Alternative/Rock
Hear LEVVELS’ Darling New Darkwave Ditty, “Personal” [Premiere]
LEVVELS unveil their new single, “Personal,” a darkwave ditty about the mental and physical misery that comes with opening yourself up to someone you’re getting close to.
Hey now! Come on… Let’s not get so personal here! With their new single “Personal,” LEVVELS have reached backwards in time and embraced the best of the electronic darkwave sound, popularized in the 1980s in Britain. With its deep and warm vocals, ’80s synths, and classic new wave sound, the track is a real throwback to an era gone by, when New Order, Depeche Mode, and The Cure were the kings of alternative music.
Highly “Personal” in nature, the lyrics are about the mental and physical misery that comes with opening yourself up to someone you’re getting close to and the unpredictability that follows.
In considering “Personal” and what it means to them, the group said:
“‘Personal’ means a lot to us, both artistically and as a band. Artistically, it sonically and visually captures the duality of the intense feelings that come up when you’re navigating a relationship, either a healthy or toxic one…the pleasure and pain, friction and harmony, embracing the uncertainty, and lashing out in frustration. As a band, the process we went through in the studio to bring this song to life made us a better group and stronger songwriters. The pivot we took as we walked away from one demo and started the song that became ‘Personal’ (from scratch) was empowering.”
LEVVELS worked alongside the highly regarded production and songwriting duo HEAVY (Lovelytheband, Chase Atlantic, Goo Goo Dolls) in bringing this song to life. Navigating the space of new wave music is no easy task 35 years since its peak, but both LEVVELS and HEAVY have beautifully maneuvered a tight spot without sounding like an 80s tribute band, and also making it sound modern. The band has drawn comparisons to a more modern sounding Depeche Mode, combined with contemporary synth-wave acts. It’s emotional music that’s meant to make you feel, while also meant to make you dance.
It’s passionate music, reinvigorating an enthusiasm in club beats, while staying true to a time when they were actually adventurous and impulsive.
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