We talked about Joshua Thew a few months back when he unveiled Never Be along with a beautiful music video. Now, he’s back with This Time, the initial track from his upcoming EP, co-produced with Cale Hawkins. It doesn’t strike us as a coincidence that the cover depicts two people waltz dancing because that’s where the song takes us, precisely. The Brooklyn-based musician’s mellifluous and warm voice, accompanied by jazzy chords, choral vocals, and sampled string makes us imagine two wine glasses left on the table while a couple is dancing in the kitchen on their third date.
The song’s lyrics remain focused on the theme of love; naturally, they couldn¡t explore anything else. He portrays it as “a realization that past growing pains and profound anxieties are resurfacing, things I can no longer evade.” This becomes evident as we listen to the chorus where he sings, “maybe, we’ll be able to fight / something special, something we could never let die / deeper, not just for one night.” We wish he’d be able to.
Danny Lim is the mastermind behind this music video, deeply connected to Joshua’s entire aesthetic, with dance as a pivotal element — like we saw in Never Be. The director aimed to blend the concept of a musical box, an idea that struck him upon hearing the demo, with the surreal juxtaposition inspired by painter Rafał Olbiński. In the video, we witness two elderly individuals dancing alone on a dance floor, while flashbacks of their initial encounters unfold. Who wouldn’t want to grow old alongside the person they love? The issue is, in this society, will we be able to? As long as there are musicians like Joshua Thew, we’ll stay hopeful that it happens.