After a period of quiet, Sweden’s Noija have returned with a new single, “Crawl Into My Skin”. The song calls for empathy and understanding, and is searching and moving, with a few surprises along the way from the collective of Nick Serlstedt (vocals), Daniel Lundgren (drums), Max Mauritsson (bass), and Ludvig Ottosson (guitar).
“Crawl Into My Skin” is self-explanatory by way of its lyrics, where it invites someone to step inside their perspective and emotional state and feel how they feel and act as their guide or helper. It’s relatably fitting for when you’re left feeling so weary that you know you need help, but you can’t explain or express how you feel.
In Noija’s own words, the song is about “being in a hazy state of mind where you can’t touch your own feelings and that even a simple thing as breathing, becomes one of the hardest and scariest things”.
“Tell me why I’m stuck inside my head”
As breezy and flowing as the song is by way of sound, there’s clear darkness of mood, while also caution at dragging someone else into the emotional pit with them. The hunt for answers through someone else’s perspective is clear, and the cry for help is felt, particularly through Nick’s voice and the orchestral/string elements. A leap at the bridge from pared back lightness to roaring frustration does a powerful job in expressing how being in the situation feels.
Visually set in a therapeutic setting, where a counsellor is who the protagonist is speaking with, there’s also home settings that represent states of numbedness, reflection, or being smothered. The Eddie Berg (of Imminence) music video is both artful and clear of message, with an eerie twist at its end.
Watch “Crawl Into My Skin” now via Dreambound on YouTube, or find via your favourite streaming service.
