After years spent honing their chops on viral Youtube covers, Carvel are back at the release game in 2018. Following on from their catchy-as-hell jam Colour Me In last month, today the boys have dropped Dark Side of Me.
Trading in some of that catchiness for a moodier, more cinematic feel, the new single definitely adds a spot of colour to Carvel’s upcoming self-titled EP.
Carvel look inward on Dark Side of Me, a moving new single shaped by the parts of ourselves we’re most afraid to acknowledge.
“Dark Side of Me is the song we feel most most proud of as songwriters,” says Tim, vocalist and guitarist in Carvel. “Mostly because we can’t really pin any specific inspiration for the track.”
And while a lack of inspiration may seem like the opposite of a drawcard, the strength to Dark Side of Me lies in its ethereality. Forgoing a standard structure to remain contemplative, otherworldly and absolutely psychedelic, it’s a song that sees Carvel strutting outside their comfort zone.
Which is appropriate enough, given the subject matter. Speaking of the track, Tim shared:
“The lyrics are deeply personal, and explore coming to terms with and breaking free of your negative qualities, and the regret that follows with hurting others as a result.”
And while a gloomy note permeates Dark Side of Me, Carvel’s sense of freedom defiantly comes through louder. This is a push/pull between darkness and light, which a good song should bear, but I’d welcomely say the brighter feelings have won.
Dark Side of Me is a beautiful interplay between a band who know each other inside and out; to be somewhat expected given their time together. It proves Carvel’s ability to harness both ends of the emotional spectrum – a strength I’m positive will feed into their upcoming Carvel EP.
