Dylan Cartlidge released the first track from his upcoming spring mixtape back on Friday, January 22. The single with Glassnote Records was co-produced with Ed Irwin-Singer of Glass Animals, and it premiered on UK’s BBC Radio 1 with Annie Mac.
Talking about how the song came to be, he spoke with Beyond the Stage (BTS).
“It started off a lot like how most songs of mine do, with me playing around on the bass, Cartlidge. “I was working to programme my live show with Ed Irwin-Singer from Glass Animals and one day at his studio I just ended up plugging in the bass and started jamming. The song grew from there really.”
A song about hitting a personal slump, losing sight of your ambitions and goals, and finding your way back to your old self again, “Molasses (Walk The Walk)” showcases Cartlidge’s trademark soul-tinged, infectious style defined by his indie, funk, and R&B sensibilities.
“I wrote this song after a particularly tough time when I was experiencing burnout following touring,” said Cartlidge. “The song reflects the feeling of hitting a slump and losing control of achieving your goals and dreams – it’s about finding yourself scrambling to find that part of yourself again or being prepared to ‘fake it til you make it’ whilst trying to find your old self.”
Cartlidge shared with Beyond the Stage (BTS) his hopes for the song and forthcoming releases.
“Old fans and new fans alike get to hear another side of me and my journey so far. That’s all I can hope & ask of any release. I think that as a lot of people will be hearing the releases for the first time, my hope is that they hear it and feel something positive.”
The release was accompanied by an animated lyric video that includes colorful ’70s inspired pop-art visuals, tying back to his funk sound.
Watch the video below.
His life path took a significant turn for the better and gave him hope for his future when he was spotted and signed to Glassnote Music in 2018. Before his discovery, he started creating music solely to emote and share his past poor life experiences.
Cartlidge shared with BTS what inspired him to write in the first place.
“It came sadly from bad past experiences. I had a traumatic childhood and music was my only way to survive really and externalize the impact of those experiences and how they’ve impacted and shaped not only my future, but also my world view.”
Leading up to the release of his debut EP ‘Monsters Under The Bed’ in April 2019 after being signed the year prior, he had already collaborated with popular Wimbledon singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer Jamie T.
Cartlidge has also played a UK-wide 13 date headline tour and performed at SXSW, Glastonbury, and Radio One’s Big Weekend in Middlesbrough. His last single Yellow Brick Road released in April 2020 landed him a debut top 40 chart spot on the US alternative radio and accumulated over 600 thousand streams on Spotify.
See the music video below.
His music is a stylistic mix that’s reflected in his unique image: timelessly cool afro; Americana-inspired Hawaiian shirts; Elvis-style cuban collars. While his music is accented by his personal motto ‘Hope Above Adversity,” his purpose in creating music is to make people groove.
He shared with BTS the process of defining his sound and if he truly has established it yet.
“I don’t think I’ve gotten there fully yet, but I definitely feel like it’s intrinsically a part of my personality. It’s not the same for everybody, but my music is a reflection of who I am. I think that if it feels fresh to me, then that’s how I always know I’m making the “right” next song.”
As we continue on with 2021, Cartlidge’s mixtape creeps closer and closer as spring quickly approaches. While it’s difficult to fully prepare for the mixtape because of the lack of a formal release date and his ability to make no two songs quite the same, he shared some information with BTS that gives a small glimpse into it.
“I can’t give too much away but keep your eyes and ears peeled. Lots of new music en route. Very excited to share it with you guys. I think people can expect to hear something from me they’ve never heard before. Know that with this mixtape, it’s been a whole life in the making.”
With that being said, make sure to stream his music and keep up with him on his socials. We look forward to seeing what else is to come from Cartlidge!
Stream “Molasses (Walk the Walk)” on Spotify and Apple Music.
Follow Dylan Cartlidge on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Follow Beyond the Stage to stay up to date on all of your favorite artists.
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