Slowe ft: Rachai - Fix Me Up (Single)
The sun-kissed ”Fix Me Up': feat. Rachai, is the third single taken from Slowe (AKA Sophie Hawes)’s debut album ‘Where The Mind Wanders’ (out 28th July). The single follows “WYLTK” and “Superego”, which garnered support from Robert Elms (BBC Radio London), James Threlfall (BBC Introducing), Don Letts (BBC Radio 6Music), Laurent Garnier and Bill Brewster.
“A big theme throughout the album is exploring the feeling of being twenty-something and not knowing where things are headed for you, and if you’re on the right path”, Slowe explains. The album title ‘Where The Mind Wanders’ stemmed from this raw “glimpse into the places (Sophie’s) mind goes, good and bad”.
Glimmers of “love, anguish, self-doubt, joy and everything in between” are brought to light and reflected in her resourceful cross-genre stamp. Sophie’s eclectic reference points allow her to delve into different sonic landscapes, with “modern neo-soul songs, psychedelic moments and more traditional jazz, soul and hip hop sounds”.
On “Fix Me Up” Slowe and old friend Rachai, or Rachel Bowen, capture the electricity you feel “when you meet someone you really vibe with”. Sophie’s production is studded with nods to her eclectic taste, blending psychedelic riffs, nostalgic keys and a dub-infused bassline.
Drawing on her love of Kali Uchis and Gorillaz, the dreamy soul keys melt into the skipping reggae-inspired drum loop to create an effortless beat. Rachai’s charming lyrics describe the giddy ecstasy of thinking about someone you like and playing shared moments over in your head. The melodious conversation evokes a hazy reverie as Rachai croons, “lazing around until the sun’s replaced by you”. The hook, starting “Fix me into colour”, tells a story with sweet sentiments about a blossoming romance,“as though the world has become a little more colourful, a little more magical”after meeting.
Raised in the Welsh border town of Chepstow, Slowe has been writing music and performing in bands since her teens. During a gigging hiatus, she found herself gravitating towards self-sufficient production, turning her hand to an array of instruments-including flute, keys and guitar-to recreate the styles of her favourite producers utilising her musical talent, passion and creative understanding. Slowe’s DIY approach is reminiscent of lo-fi beat-making; delicately layering together session recordings, and repurposing techniques akin to those of J Dilla and Madlib. The result is both nostalgic and fiercely contemporary, with sparkling Rhodes, vintage drum lines, and buttery vocals. The combination of Slowe’s radiant lilts and introspective lyricism atop the fuzzy, analogue warmth makes for swooning escapism.