The Zimbabwean-born world traveler and storyteller, So Kindly, who is currently based in the UK, has released his much anticipated single “All I Own”, the second since he spent some time in Los Angeles, USA, writing and recording with award winning producer Jon Gilbert (Mt. Joy, Flipturn, Pete Yorn, The Kills, Alina Baraz, Banks, The Circle Jerks, and The Melvins).
A rush of warm instrumentals, dynamic arrangements, lush guitar and distinct, earthy vocals telling it how it is. So Kindly’s music scape is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits and Paul Simon; all the while harnessing the essentials of modern radio-ready contemporary music.
More info about So Kindly’s “All I Own”
“All I Own” reflects the inner struggle of wanting to be enough for someone you love whilst dealing with the feeling of falling short of their expectations and standards. When it feels insufficient but you’re giving it your all. It reflects the notion that the most precious gift one has to offer is their heart and soul, regardless of any perceived shortcomings. Even if you don’t have much else to give, you can still give that and mean it.
“I think these are universal insecurities experienced within relationships – does this person feel as much for me as I feel for them? Do they miss me as much as I miss them when we are apart? Sometimes surrendering to love and presenting oneself, is the ultimate gesture of affection and sincerity..” says So Kindly.
Songs have their own pace of revealing their true form: some come together quickly, while others take their time. So Kindly had a few versions of “All I Own” where the climax came earlier on in the song. The final version starts with a quieter more intimate sound and gradually building up to a more impactful finish.
The lyrics take centre stage conveying their sentiment before giving way to a big finish that emphasises the instrumentation and the overall emotion of the lyrics, rather than the lyrics themselves. It was a process of fine-tuning and crafting until the song reached a point where he felt it was.
“This was one of those songs that I had a ton of different versions of. I played a lot with different keys, tempos, structures, and instrumentation for the chorus. The lyrics were the only thing that remained pretty consistent from the early demos.” says So Kindly.
The song is essentially a story split into 4 parts: a soft beginning that sets the intentions of the lyrical content, the second verse which opens up the instrumentation and reveals more personal lyrics, the pre-chorus which re-states the theme of the song, “this feels like it’s all I own, it may be cheap but it’s still my soul”. And finally, in the fourth and last part, So Kindly hits the accelerator, intensifying the release of emotions and opening up to a more danceable sound.
It’s the grand finale that really lets the record resolve itself. “The recording process for this song felt great from start to finish. We were especially happy with the intimacy of the vocal takes – they really make it feel like I’m singing directly to the listener,” explains So Kindly.
The recording of “All I Own” (with award-winning producer Jon Gilbert at his Wildflower studio in Pasadena, LA) was preceded by discussing life, loves, careers and everything in-between. So Kindly elaborates, saying “Jon truly became a kind of mentor for me in many ways, more than just musically, and I think we captured a sound that I had been searching for, for a few years.”
You can stream “All I Own” HERE.
So Kindly recently signed an exclusive agreement with boutique indie label Tic Tic Bang (home to Sean Koch, Samuel Miller & Mann Friday). So Kindly and Tic Tic Bang have a series of singles coming out over the next 6 months, during the release cycle. So Kindly is writing and recording his next project, and will be in Southern Africa towards the end of 2023, then out on the road again in Europe and the UK in 2024.
Watch this space for updates in the Music News category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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