SINGLE REVIEW: Smallworld – I Will Not Self Destruct

Emerging from the north west of England at the start of this year, emo adjacent outfit Smallworld have already undertaken quite the journey. From the release of their phenomenal debut track ‘Worn Out With Dreams’, to departure of co-vocalist Em Seaton, to their upcoming headline performance at Manchester’s legendary Night & Day Cafe, the band have managed to compile an entire career’s worth of shenanigans into only ten months.

The band appear to have taken the ups-and-downs firmly in their stride, however, continuing to cement their position as a need-to-know creative force with their brand new third single. There is delightfully paradoxical quality about how Smallworld have constructed ‘I Will Not Self Destruct’; a manic collusion of emo, folk, and prog rock recorded with a raw, DIY approach, the track sounds consistently like it is on the very verge of self-destructing.

Banjos rattle atop of the thumping march of cowbell and kick drum, whilst bass lines wander with melodic whimsy and guitars shimmer with soft reverb. Gang vocals and beautiful harmonies sit alongside one another in wondrous chaotic bliss, as the band sing of fighting back against cycles of addiction with an unparalleled sense of hope. That blinding optimism is only further intensified by the inclusion of Kate Howarth on cornet, giving the whole affair the feel of a surreal, hurtling carnival ride, especially as the track rallies towards its magnificently cacophonous climax.

Smallworld’s approach to emo offers a brilliant balance between vulnerability and theatricality; it is the wondrous sound of escapism colliding with the importance of being true to oneself. It is clear that, in the spirit of this song, Smallworld are a band capable of taking setbacks, and transforming them into opportunities to rebuild, stronger than ever before.

For Fans Of: Arm’s Length, Panic! At The Disco, Free Throw, Weezer, The Dear Hunter

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