More about: cavetown

Elaborate storytelling and taking deep journeys into his thoughts are what 23-year-old Cavetown is known for, and this collection of songs is no different.

worm food is an album that shows off Cavetown’s progression as an artist, whilst keeping to his DIY dreamy bedroom pop sound. Deep lyrics and a continued exploration of hidden emotions are scattered all over the 13 tracks and the raw honesty imbedded in the lyrics makes Cavetown more relatable than ever.

The tracklist itself is enough to draw you in. Star studded features from Vic Fuenetes of Pierce the Veil, Dirty Hit’s golden girl Beabadoobee and rising star Chloe Morindo really raise expectations. But Cavetown hits the nail more times than not.

Soft indie gem ‘fall in love with a girl’, featuring vocals from Beabadoobee, is one of the standout moments on worm food. Cavetown knows how to use creative imagery to make you feel what they’re feeling. “With all the bullshit he gives you, you wake up drenched in mosquito bites” perfectly encapsulates the result of pressures and negativity from a relationship. The Beabadoobee feature fits so well with the soft vibe and the harmonies sound so seamlessly sweet. When talking to Apple Music, Cavetown revealed “Fall in Love With a Girl’ is about someone who’s struggling with their sexuality and how that affects their happiness…When they finally take the step to be in a same-sex relationship, they realize how happy it makes them and that it’s okay to trust yourself.” 

‘1994’ is one of the few songs that has a louder soundscape making it stand out from the other 12 tracks. It is a moment that grasps your attention after a string of more mellow songs and stops them from blending together and becoming forgettable. Amongst the louder composition that is comparable to 2000s pop rock, Cavetown once again opens up and gets intimate with their emotions. The lyrics explore attempting to make peace with your younger self and the journey towards self-love – and these are feelings many of their fanbase can relate to and find comfort in.

The closing moment ‘laundry day’ is the perfect song to wrap the album up. Cavetown’s vocal delivery is super soft and comforting, sounding perfect over the acoustic guitar and string arrangement. The build-up of the stings during the final section of the song really creates an emotional climax and establishes that our journey through worm food is drawing to a close. Cavetown has revealed that he enlisted a string quartet to magnify the melancholic mood at the heart of the song. “That song is about some hard times my family’s gone through, but the chorus came from a fond childhood memory of mine, where my dad would always end up shrinking all his clothes every time he did the laundry.”

This new album is steady progression from 2020s Sleepyhead. If you’re looking for illustrative storytelling and soft and chill indie vibes, then Cavetown has you covered. Overall, worm food is most comparable to a fuzzy warm blanket on the ears and makes perfect listening on a dark winter’s night. 

Worm Food is out now

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: cavetown