Released: 2021 • Features: James Blake, Mount Kimbie
“Feel Away” by Slowthai, featuring James Blake & Mount Kimbie, is a piercing exploration of a deteriorated romantic relationship. The track is a raw examination of heartbreak, misplaced desires, and perspectives on self-worth and identity. The artists reflect on their fractured relationships, their failures, and their struggles to maintain their own sanity amidst the turmoil.
The first couple of lines set the tone for the song. We’re introduced to a relationship that has grown apart with Slowthai revealing, “We don’t go on dates, we went our own separate ways”. Adding, “She said she feels trapped, stuck up in this fuckin’ maze”, he alludes to his partner’s feelings of confinement and confusion in their relationship.
“Standin’ in the rain, soakin’ wet tryna demonstrate. That I don’t feel a way, I never hesitate”, Slowthai uses the imagery of standing unprotected in the rain to represent his vulnerability and willingness to face discomfort and emotional pain headfirst. This shows his earnestness and his struggles to prove that the end of the relationship doesn’t affect him, even if it actually does.
He uses the phrase “Arms too short for my pockets, no that’s bollocks” to highlight his inability to reach into his own pockets. This is a metaphor, possibly for his struggle to handle or manage the issues that led to their separation.
“You felt low, I took you higher than a note from Mariah. And still you got the cheek to even try and call me a liar” references Mariah Carey, known for her impressive vocal range. Slowthai feels he went above and beyond in the relationship but is still accused of dishonesty.
James Blake comes in for the chorus with “Suddenly not half the man I used to be. But truthfully, it hurt for what you could’ve been”, suggesting a feeling of diminished self-worth after the breakup. The words “truthfully, it hurt for what you could’ve been” show sadness not just for the end of the relationship, but for the potential of what the relationship could’ve become.
“I’ll leave the dent in my car. To remind me what I could have lost. And you revealed who you are.Then this doesn’t feel like love”. Blake leaves the physical mark of damage, the car dent, as a metaphorical reminder of the emotional toll the relationship placed on him.
The song encapsulates the frustration, bitterness, and pain of a failed love story. Its rawness and vulnerability are characteristic of Slowthai and Blake’s introspective approach to their music. From this track, we can glean a robust understanding of their complex emotions during this difficult period.
