A seductive, hypnotic, and dreamy indulgence, London artist Chinwe’s new song “Intoxicated” is a dazzling downtempo blend of soul and psychedelia that soothes the mind and heart alike.
for fans of FKA twigs, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Glass Animals, Sampha, Arlo Parks, Orion Sun
Stream: “Intoxicated” – Chinwe
We all have our own coping mechanisms: The tools we keep at our disposal for dealing with hardship and obstacles large and small. For some, that may come in the form of meditation; others turn to cooking, exercise, reading, watching television, painting, and even songwriting to comfort, relieve, and provide solace: In fact, many musicians look to writing songs as their own personal form of therapy and catharsis. That’s exactly what Chinwe’s latest single is to the emerging British artist: A deeply intimate outpouring coming from a time of isolation, solitude, reflection, and distress. A seductive, hypnotic, and dreamy indulgence, “Intoxicated” is a dazzling downtempo blend of soul and psychedelia that soothes the mind and heart alike.
You’re near impossible to find
Are you a figment of my imagination
Still you take up all of my time
All the while I am wasting away
I am wasting away
Intoxicated I inhale the fumes
Intoxicated all I see is you
Intoxicated I inhale the fumes
Intoxicated all I see is you
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Intoxicated,” the fourth single release from East London singer/songwriter and producer Chinwe. At home with the art of the soft and the subtle, Chinwe debuted just a year ago with 2019’s summer release “June.” Her captivating voice can carry a song all on its own, yet Chinwe has added a world of texture, color, and flavor to every release that elevates her vision and accentuates her craft. 2020’s single releases “Oh Love” and “Sin” have begun to reveal the extent of her artistry, which only feels clearer, more confident and equally surreal with “Intoxicated.” Airy and atmospheric, her latest track is subtle – stripped down to just a few instruments that support and buoy the artist’s evocative vocals.
Layers of emotion come to life in Chinwe’s performance as she dwells in visions from past and future lives; her lyrics seem to soundtrack the act of embedding oneself in oneself, so-to-speak. She sings of finding solace in the sights of the mind, and if we close our eyes and just listen, we can join her in this process of escape and introspection.
In vivid colours you come alive
Leading the way across the horizon
With each inhale I reach for the sky
Open my arms and I am flying
I am flying away (x3)
Intoxicated I inhale the fumes
Intoxicated all I see is you
Intoxicated I inhale the fumes
Intoxicated all I crave is you
“I never really write happy songs about being in love; they just don’t seem to come that naturally for me,” Chinwe tells Atwood Magazine. “This isn’t that, but it’s probably the closest I’ve come. When the pandemic hit I think the lack of social interaction made me turn inwards and I was desperate to reclaim happier times, trying to reach them and reimagine them in a way that they could became almost tangible, like a lucid dream.”
She continues. “In this sense the song is really more about escapism than it is being in love. It’s that feeling of yearning and longing for a different reality that then leads to infatuation – whether it be with an individual, a high, or a time and place.”
All I crave is you (x2)
All I see (x2)
All I crave (x2)
All I know (x2)
Is you
It’s that feeling of yearning and longing for a different reality that then leads to infatuation – whether it be with an individual, a high, or a time and place.
Like fellow emerging artists – from London’s Arlo Parks, to Philadelphia’s Orion Sun – to established acts like Glass Animals and beyond, Chinwe has a distinct ear for not only setting the scene, but also seeing it through to its dazzling completion. She draws us into “Intoxicated” from the second it starts, letting her ambient instruments and deftly-produced textures do the talking and giving them the space they need to grow. Her voice is itself a thing of sublime nuance, helping the song realize its full potential as a woozy, spellbinding dream.
This summer of 2020 will be one unlike any other. While some people are in safe, serene venues and others simply don’t care as much about social distancing or putting themselves at risk, the majority of folks around the world will spend their 2020 summers at home, indoors, and away from friends and family. The summer may still have plenty of moments made for anthems and jams, but this one will also host plenty of somber reflections – and there is no better vehicle for that, than Chinwe’s “Intoxicated.” A vessel for isolation and rumination, meditation and catharsis, “Intoxicated” is sure to help us see this pandemic through to its end, just as writing it helped Chinwe find comfort and relief from the surrounding storm.
Stream this stunning new song exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
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Stream: “Intoxicated” – Chinwe
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