Cavetown: Running With Scissors

UK indie-pop singer-songwriter Cavetown has built a global following on tender, introspective songwriting. Ahead of their debut performance in Adelaide at Laneway, they open up about dissociation, songwriting and growing up through their brand-new album Running With Scissors.

Interview Millah Hansberry // Photo supplied

Congrats on your latest single ‘NPC’! This pop punk-infused track was written mid-tour, born out of feeling exhausted and dissociated on the road. Could you tell us about this?

Thank you! Touring and travelling have been hard for me, [but] at the same time, wonderful. I struggle with changes to my environment and have had to search for ways to feel grounded and connected to myself when my surroundings are so transient. I had an imaginary friend as a kid called Mr Nobody; he was a guy made of the absence of matter carrying a briefcase, and was always away on a work trip. I was on a flight one day when he came to mind, and I realised I was living the life I had made up for him. I’m always on the move and working hard, and sometimes I’m away so long I forget what it was like to be home. It made me feel comforted in a way to connect my current life to this thing I had imagined as a child, and reminded me that I can plant roots like that within myself. Essentially, if I can feel grounded within myself, I can feel at home anywhere.

You’re known for your introspective and poetic yet articulate lyricism. Do you find this style of songwriting natural for you, or do you really work on it and craft it until it’s perfect?

I guess it is natural for me because I don’t do the latter. I find it easier to verbalise things on my mind through songs and art for some reason I can’t explain. I feel very linguistically challenged in most other areas of my life – I’m bad at reading, I type very lazily and I’m constantly forgetting words for things. But when I’m fitting words to a melody, I can somehow see all these interesting words and metaphors at my disposal and I’m able to tap into a way of thinking about my life that is really poetic. Often, I’ll write a lyric because the words are fun to say or they just feel right, and only later when the words have sat with me do I realise the meaning that was there the whole time. That being said, I do use and recommend websites like rhymezone and rhymewave!! Sometimes just seeing an interesting word or rhyme scheme can open up a whole rabbit hole of possibilities.

You’ve just released a brand-new album Running With Scissors. The title is such a callback to primary school, as kids are taught “don’t run with scissors.” What does the title tell us about the album?

Exactly! That lesson hits home for me, particularly as a kid who didn’t have the reflex to put my hands out in front of me when I fell over. When you can’t trust yourself to catch yourself, it’s hard to find the courage to run at all. I’ve spent a lot of time not trusting myself, and therefore shying away from friendships and opportunities for growth. I’ve missed out on a lot of normal teenager experiences and am seeing some of the results of that now as an adult trying to connect with my peers. I put my hands out when I fall now, and I’m trying to trust that my hands will be there to catch me in other ways. Like if I stumble emotionally, I can get myself back on track. If I can feel secure in my ability to patch myself up, I can have some grace for being a bit of a klutz.

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Your early music captured the raw, confusing feeling of being a teenager, and it resonated with so many. With this new album, you’re consciously stepping into adulthood. What do you hope fans take from this?

I’m really trying to showcase my growth with this album, which I of course hope is seen. I hope that through observing my growth, my audience can feel inspired to grow in their own ways, too. There’s also always been this dynamic between me and my audience where my vulnerability has made them feel seen, and them feeling seen makes me feel understood in return. I’ve already felt this same dynamic in a new font for this new record.

You’re being brought to Adelaide in February by Laneway. Are you excited to get back to Aussie audiences?

Yes! I love coming to Australia, experiencing the different seasons and wildlife and seeing the cultural differences big and small. It’s always so cool to remember that there are people I can connect with on the other side of the planet.

You’ve toured to Australia a few times before. Do you have any fond memories over on this side of the pond?

I had the best beach day of my entire life in Melbourne nearly two years ago. I dug a huge hole and collected trinkets from rock pools, which I then put into the huge hole. I also went snorkelling and saw so many starfish and rays!

Who on the Laneway lineup are you excited to catch?

I’m gonna try to watch Chappell Roan, Alex G, Pink Pantheress, Benee, and Wet Leg!

Finally, if you could describe your album in three words, what would they be?

Let’s Go Gals.

Catch Cavetown performing at Laneway Festival at Adelaide Showgrounds on Saturday 14 February 14 alongside acts like Chappell Roan, Wet Leg, Role Model, and more. Tickets on sale now at lanewayfestival.com.

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