There’s a litany of self help options out there. Have you tried journaling or taking some super-charged supplements? Maybe you’re into cold showers or motivational books? These trends come and go and each time they promise to take you ever closer to your perfect self. However, it’s important to remember that perfectionism is toxic and “perfect” doesn’t really exist at all. Our mind has wandered to this topic thanks to the sage songwriting of returning Unrecorded featuree Stefan West. His latest single ‘Slow Down World’ accurately takes on this facet of our modern world.
Before we dive into the single, let’s hear from Stefan West: “Slow Down World is about when self help goes to far. Its about trying absolutely everything that you hear might make you feel better, but you still feel stuck. its about trying your absolute best and it still not feeling good enough and just needing the world to slow down for a moment to catch your breath, because every moment feels like you’re on the verge of crumbling.”
This track opens with steady, holding guitar chords with West‘s natural vocals that provide an insight into the protagonist’s thought process. He candidly admits that he would “buy a magical pill if I knew it would save me,” with a tone of frustration and self-aware irony. After this vulnerable 30 second introduction, ‘Slow Down World’ unexpectedly explodes into a vibrant array of horns, guitars, and percussion that are an upbeat antithesis to that initial brooding verse. From here, the marching tempo, strong bass line and energetic strums are a contrast to the personal affirmations that often flood our social media in some vain hope that they’ll miraculously repair our faults. West alludes to voices of self-doubt and criticism that remind him he’s “not all I could be,” and it’s this noxious loop that keeps him searching for the answers to his apparent problems.
‘Slow Down World’ is a potent remind that we can often be our own worst enemy, but also with love and care, we can also be our own best ally.
Check out ‘Slow Down World’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
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