KAWALA
TO RELEASE 7” SINGLE ‘PURE DESIRE’ / ‘LOOSEN UP’
BAND ANNOUNCED AS NEWLY APPOINTED PATRONS FOR THE MUSIC VENUE TRUST
PERFORMING A SPECIAL LIVE SHOW IN PARTNERSHIP ON OCTOBER 29thFEATURING SPECIAL GUEST ARLO PARKS
KAWALA return with their first 7” single ‘Pure Desire’ / ‘Loosen Up’ out now via EMI Records, following a first play on Annie Mac’s show last night. The band are also one of the latest group of patrons for the Music Venue Trust and will be performing a special live stream gig from Hoxton Hall on the 29th of October to benefit the charity.
‘Pure Desire’/‘Loosen Up’ is a beautiful distillation of the two sides of KAWALA’s song writing. ‘Pure Desire’ is a driving, upbeat piece of soulful pop, showcasing the band’s intricate guitar lines and trademark harmonies. ‘Loosen Up’ on the other hand finds the band slowing things down to create a languid mix of acoustic guitars and delicate percussion, before building to a euphoric crescendo.
“This is the first time we’ve released a 7” single with an A and B side so we were keen for the songs to have a strong link while offering different things sonically.” Daniel Explains “‘Pure Desire’ is essentially about exactly that; the desperation to reach that goal you set out to achieve or a better place you wish to find yourself. We tried to represent that hunger and drive in the constant upbeat pace of the song. Alternatively, ‘Loosen Up’ is meant to represent the tranquil place we see as our end goal.”
The band are also one of the latest acts to be announced as patrons of the Music Venue Trust, a charity set up to help protect grassroots venues in the UK, something the band are incredibly passionate about. “It’s a complete honour for us to be made Patrons of this incredibly important charity to help campaign for the protection and funding of grassroots music venues. The thought of losing venues across the country due to our politicians failing to prioritise the value in arts and culture is a real concern for us as a touring band, and we need to make sure the venues and the people that work in the sector are protected so that there is an industry to come back to. We will do everything in our power to support the amazing work that the Music Venue Trust do behind the scenes.”
KAWALA will be live streaming a special free show on the 29th of October to benefit both the Music Venue Trust and the venue they’ll be performing in, Hoxton Hall. The livestream will be free for all to access, with signposting for viewers to donate to the charity and/or the venue. The show will also feature, special guest, Arlo Parks who was due to play at Hoxton Hall this year. She’ll be sitting down to chat with KAWALA and will perform a special poem she’s written during the live stream.
You’ll be able to view the livestream here from 7.30pm on the 29th October.
‘Pure Desire’/‘Loosen Up’ follows ‘Ticket to Ride’, released earlier this year, which was championed by the likes of Annie Mac and Jack Saunders at Radio 1 and has recently been included on the soundtrack to EA’s blockbuster FIFA 21 game.
Centered around the core duo of singer Jim Higson and guitarist/singer Daniel McCarthy, KAWALA aren’t your typical band. Their lush sound is cushioned with the pair’s gorgeous harmonies, driven by Daniel’s unique finger-style acoustic guitar playing, and inflected with sounds from genres far beyond the one they inhabit. As their sound developed the pair decided to invite some friends to join them and eventually added Ben Batten on drums, Dan Lee on guitar and Reeve Coulson on Bass.
Though the band’s 2020 tour plans had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 lockdown, that didn’t stop the band from spreading a tiny bit of live music joy this year. In July they went on the road for a special, socially distanced outdoor tour (the first band to do so), playing free acoustic sets in parks around the country to a controlled number of their fans, organised via Whatsapp. In 2021 the band will be taking their full, high energy live show on the road proper as they play the rescheduled shows of their 2020 tour, concluding with their biggest London shows to date at the Kentish Town Forum.
Rescheduled 2021 tour dates
12 May – Cyprus Ave – Cork
13 May – The Academy – Dublin
15 May – Arts Club – Liverpool
16 May – The Globe – Cardiff
18 May – The Bullingdon – Oxford
19 May – Gorilla – Manchester
20 May – O2 Institute 2 – Birmingham
23 May – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut – Glasgow
25 May – St Doms Social Club – Newcastle
26 May – Thekla – Bristol
27 May – Kentish Town Forum – London
Facebok // Twitter // Instagram
