Danny Dwyer's “Asthma” (Billy Lemos Remix) Is a Celebration of Life & Friendship

Danny Dwyer’s “Asthma” (Billy Lemos Remix) is a quick pick-me-up, like a cup of coffee, that can get you through the day.

follow our Today’s Song(s) playlist

Stream: “Asthma” – Danny Dwyer

Danny Dwyer came onto the scene in 2018 when one of his songs was featured on the Pigeons and Planes YouTube channel. Hailing from St. Louis, MO, the LA-based artist has been steadily releasing genre-spanning singles and EPs since then. His musical career started in childhood, as he was classically trained in piano, trumpet, and violin, and moved on to rock and roll, inspired by the likes of Sum 41 and blink-182.

His music has continued to evolve since 2018, and his most recent release, July 2023’s EP Disbeliever, is reminiscent of early 2000s pop/rock, sounding like Yellowcard, Simple Plan, and Yellowcard. However, Dwyer’s music draws more on modern bedroom pop and DIY styles – hence this collaboration.

Asthma (Billy Lemos Remix) - Danny Dwyer — Asthma (Billy Lemos Remix) – Danny Dwyer

His collaborator on the remix of “Asthma” is producer Billy Lemos, a fellow Midwestern native. Billy Lemos specializes in spaced-out, dreamy, atmospheric music. Lemos has an impressive resume, working with the likes of Omar Apollo, Still Woozy, Victor Internet, and many other artists. The two of them make an incredible tandem for the song “Asthma.”

“Asthma” is the perfect song to get the day rolling (and my most-played song in 2023 according to Spotify). It is an upbeat remix to a more emotional rendition of a song about someone celebrating a friend deciding not to end things. The song begins with a gentle acoustic strumming and Danny Dwyer half-rapping/half-singing the lyrics

Call me crying from your bathroom
I can’t hear you through your asthma
Try to keep you on the phone
Bad month turned into a bad year
I’m so happy that you’re still here
Just know that you are not alone.

It is an uplifting opening stanza that is both hopeful and tragic – hopeful because the person did not go through with their act, tragic because they were considering it in the first place. The honesty with which it is written and performed is what makes the song so inspiring.

Billy Lemos’ remix is perfect, turning the emotional acoustic original version into a more jubilant record.

Danny Dwyer is likely singing this song about a close friend, allowing the feeling he is pouring into the track to shine through. We can only hope the two of them put together a longer project one day, because the chemistry that Danny Dwyer and Billy Lemos have is beautiful.

— —