All We Are ‘Feel Safe’ | Single Review

Tenuously tied to the British music scene by their base in Liverpool, All We Are, despite their namesake, are not an easy band to pinpoint. Their previous single, 2013’s ‘Utmost Good’, was but a fleeting glimpse of the band’s indie-funk designs. Despite gaining near-universal acclaim and notches on end-of-year accolades for its summery psychedelic falsetto, the band have taken their time in releasing a follow up.

Now signed to Domino imprint, Double Six Recordings, their sophomore single ‘Feel Safe’ is every bit as charming as their previous. It’s a three minute track of purely blissed-out funk, which neatly fills the gap between the popularised psychedelic rock of Warpaint and The xx’s sensual pop sensibilities. Subdued but still driven by an intoxicating rhythm, a brief introduction of flirty guitar licks whets the appetite before a steady drum groove kicks in. It’s certainly a track that wouldn’t seem out of place on Summer mixes.

However, like most pop songs with any sense of longevity, ‘Feel Safe’ isn’t without a darker side. Lyrics like ‘just because you own it / doesn’t make you feel safe’ and the song’s chorus ‘I want you / can’t get you out of my head’, paired with the atmospheric production of the track can make for an intense, claustrophobic listen that’s easy to miss in favour of the groove. This point of contrast is what makes the single so great and one you can return to again and again.

Check out the single with added cinematic glory: