Sasha Dawe – Survive (2025)
Sasha Dawe has released his second single, ‘Survive’, off the upcoming EP Here I Am, which is expected to drop on March 21. ‘Survive’ comes in a similar vein (in tone if not in structure) as its predecessor, ‘Who I Am’, but whereas ‘Who I Am’ finds the sun after a long storm, ‘Survive’ finds the day dark and makes a declaration of perseverance.
‘Survive’ is founded on a finger-picking pattern that pivots between two chords for the whole song, which may deter the impatient. This is not the song to accompany an optimistic road trip or start a party on Friday night. It’s a meditative number that balances simple elements to create a palette of gentle contrasts. The lightly strummed background guitar with the piano softly accenting each chord. The electric guitar voicing chords that fly away from what the acoustic steadfastly keeps grounded. There is no real verse/chorus format in the strictest sense, but the expression of different melodies over the repeating structure. A quiet acoustic guitar solo takes a few bars, and the song ends abruptly.
The fault of ‘Survive’ is its punctuality. Coming in at three minutes and eight seconds, the sudden ending makes it feel even shorter. Normally, we praise brevity, but this is not a pop song. One thinks of those long meditative numbers by Mark Hollis or Van Morrison that feel like they are held in a state of suspension by the simplicity of their elements. ‘Survive’ is almost just such a song and could be more compelling, not by virtue of complexity but of endurance.
That said, this little number may be just a piece of something the whole EP reveals. Dawe has already demonstrated his growth in the five months between the release of his debut album of witty and contemplative folk numbers and the first single for the new EP. All bets are off as far as what the EP may reveal, but we’re counting on it being good.
Find out more about Sasha Dawe on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
Listen to more folk music on The Other Side Reviews Folk playlist:
