What motivates someone to write a song? It’s one of those intangible mysteries that has long intrigued music reviews and casual listeners alike. It seems like some magical force in the universe that plants lyrics, melodies and rhythms into the minds of the musically gifted. It would be ideal if these moments of inspiration arrived when an artist sat down with their chosen instrument or when they walked into s studio, but it doesn’t always work out that way. For Stefan West, it was when he was working on a trade job doing physical labour that the initial words for his single ‘Take What You Need’ came to him. As he recalls, “I remember climbing up and down a ladder to voice note different lines of the verse.”
The message behind ‘Take What You Need’ extends far deeper than a day at work. Like many innate creatives, his life has been quite the rollercoaster, with the greatest dips being struggles with addiction and mental health. One thing that helped West to move through his emotions and eventually reach recovery was the cathartic medium of songwriting. Tracks like this one are indicative of his journey as he ruminates on the nostalgia of “back home,” the disappointment of relationship breakdowns, a newfound sense of gratitude, and an honest admittance of self-awareness, amongst other themes. As West passionately states in the song’s chorus, “I’m just like you, innocent and trying to be free.”
As for the song itself, it’s a vibrant and kinetic pop-rock construction that embodies both the tension of life’s expectations and a burgeoning sense of hope. You can’t help but be swept up in the upbeat drums, swirling guitar lines and uplifting backing vocals; the combination of which was helped by his collaboration with Aaron Schembri. It’s the perfect backdrop to West‘s 00’s-esque indie-rock frontman presence.
With a debut album on the horizon, titled Cambridge, there’s much more of Stefan West‘s fascinating story to be revealed.
You can listen to ‘Take What You Need’ in our Indie Rockers and Shades of Pop playlists.
Follow Stefan West:
UNRECORDED 