Tyneside songwriter The Dawdler is releasing a new EP called Sign of Growth on November 20, and today he has shared its title track. The song takes inspiration from the short film Dear Araucaria, which tells the story of John Graham, crossword setter for The Guardian, who informed readers of his impending death through clues in the puzzle. The Dawdler says:
“It destroyed me. The way Araucaria connected to his solvers. Deep bonds formed through codes and clues, never having met any of his devotees. It’s just an utterly beautiful story. Needless to say, I love crosswords.”
It takes a lot of patience to set a crossword, and a lot of poise to make one that is sending signals of your imminent end, and The Dawdler brings those same two qualities to his tribute, “Sign of Growth”. He begins contemplatively, singing over whispered guitar and synth, and though squiggles of bass join in, “Sign of Growth” takes time to build, inviting the listener to sit in the spectral atmosphere for a little while. When the ‘drop’ does come, it’s a soft one, like the song has suddenly caught an updraft and is ascending heavenward, full of dignity and beauty, until it reaches the clouds and disappears in a glowing finale.
Listen to “Sign of Growth” below or on your preferred streaming platform.
The Dawdler’s Sign of Growth EP comes out on November 20 through Akira. You can find the artist on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
