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Coming into his own as a singer-songwriter and visionary solo artist, former Chordaes frontman Leo Sawikin wrote his recently released debut single, the soaring, ethereal pop/rock ballad “Golden Days,” before the era of COVID-19 – yet its prescient lyrics capture our anxious collective moment perfectly: “We were chasing dreams/Way back then life was serene, but we blew it all to smithereens. . .can’t help but long for the golden days.”
Produced by two time Grammy winner Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker) and largely mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Tony Black (Alicia Keys), “Golden Days,” and its late 2020 single release, marked the beginning of a unique rollout of tracks (including several double-sided singles and videos) from Sawikin’s debut album Row Me Away, tentatively set to drop in May 2021.
As a songwriter, Leo is deeply inspired by classic pop and rock legends Brian Wilson, Carole King, Burt Bacharach, and Jimmy Webb – the latter two especially for the way they blended simple melodies with complex harmonic ideas.
Today we are honored to be part of his next rollout of music. We are thrilled to be able to premiere the new tracks “Born Too Late” and “Take What You Want” AND the fantastic video for “Born Too Late” as well. The production on the visuals for “Born Too Late” fits the contemplative nature of the track perfectly. Leo’s smooth vocals draw you in instantly, setting you up for a huge, powerful chorus. “Take What You Want” achieves a similar impact, but does so in a much more subdued, delicate way. The song is a true hypnotizer.
In his own words:
Born Too Late:
“Born Too Late” is about the frustration of feeling I’ve missed out on the golden age of humanity. It’s about questioning whether it’s worth it to emotionally invest in life given how inevitable the destruction of society seems currently. I was born in 1994, and, in general, I think a lot of people around my age grew up feeling like the sky was the limit as far as the future was concerned. It’s just been incredibly heartbreaking the last ten years to come down from that, as the reality of what we will have to face in the next century has set in. The combo of the resolving/falling chords, the return of the chorus melody, and the massive increase in energy on the bottom end going into the last chorus is designed to make people feel ecstasy by scratching two musical/emotional itches at once.
Take What You Want:
“Take What You Want” is about resigning yourself to a force that is insurmountable. It’s about the inevitable moment when we have to let go and allow ourselves to be consumed by the elements. It’s about the inevitability of death and our relationship with the universe, but it’s told through the perspective of a soul-crushing relationship where someone can’t help but give themselves away to a partner who just wants to use them and doesn’t care about their well-being.
Enjoy the tunes below and be sure to connect online for more!
Leo Sawikin on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Born Too Late:
Take What You Want:
Born Too Late Video:
Cover Art:
