One of our favourite bands Kawala have just released their excellent eight-track album “The Kawala Collection” via EMI, the band’s final piece of music following the sad news they are calling it a day after a decade-long career. Immediately following their 16-date UK and European “Farewell Tour”, which kicked off at the weekend.
The band played a storming 19-song set on the opening night of the farewell tour on Saturday (1st Feb), at a totally rammed Engine Rooms in Southampton. An emotional night for the fans and the Kawala boys themselves, saying goodbye after a decade-long career.
“The Kawala Collection” track listing:
Time Slipping Away
Good Morning
What’s Up?
Old Me
I Feel You
M.A.D
Honeycomb
American Adrenaline
Co-front man Daniel McCarthy weeping openly three times during their superb set. Daniel, Jim, Reeve and Dan are joined by a member of Bombay Bicycle Club, Suren De Saram playing drums on the tour, following the departure of Kawala’s drummer Ben Batten last year.
All the live photographs in this feature were shot exclusively by Music Republic Magazine’s star snapper Liam Battersby on the first night. The band announced their decision to split up via Instagram, and called for fans to make this tour, “the biggest and most joyous send off anyone could ask for”. Southampton did just that.
“The Kawala Collection” was released a week ahead of its originally scheduled date of 7th February, to coincide with the start of the tour the next day. The songs were recorded in early 2024, with the North London five-piece setting up shop at their own small East London studio, working with close friends Saint Raymond and Mathi Wang.
The tracks were not originally intended to be their swansong release. The collection features singles, “American Adrenaline”, “Time Slipping Away”, “Make A Difference” and “Old Me”, the latter penned with Bombay Bicycle Club’s Ed Nash.
We adored their debut album, “Better With You” and back at its launch in March 2022, we were very happy to sit down with Daniel McCarthy and Jim Higson for an in-depth interview about the band and the new record, and for an exclusive photo shoot.
Jim Higson is the lead singer and Daniel McCarthy plays acoustic guitar and harmony vocals; also the band’s main songwriters. On guitar is Dan Lee and on bass is Reeve Coulson.
Jim and Daniel have known each other from circa the ages of 14 or 15. Both from the same North London ‘bubble’, frequenting the same parties, both then went to Leeds College of Music around 2016 to study, popular music performance.
The debut album in 2022, “Better With You”, entered the UK album chart @ # 6 (vinyl sales category) and @ # 29 in the main chart. It followed a series of acclaimed EPs and live shows over the previous two years, which saw them establish a community-focused fanbase across the country.
Their debut EP attracted more than five million streams in a short time.
They played socially distanced shows in UK parks (after the first easing of restrictions in 2020), appeared on FIFA 2021, wrote and performed in their own YouTube sitcom (the mad-cap “Paradise Heights”) and become ambassadors for the Music Venue Trust.
At the end of 2021 the band headed out on their biggest UK and Ireland tour to date, which culminated in a sold-out show at the London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum, the venue at the heart of the London community where the band spent their formative years. Their debut mixtape, ‘Paradise Heights’ was released in July 2021.
Kawala set list @ Engine Rooms, Southampton 1st Feb 2025
Never Really Here for Long
Time Slipping Away
Pure Desire
Jesse C’mon
Animals
Searching
What’s Up
Old Me
Heavy in the Morning
Moonlight
Angry Man
Make a Difference
Mighty River
Echoes
Funky
American Adrenaline
Runaway
Encore:
Ticket to Ride
Do It Like You Do
The band draw on influences from the likes of Vampire Weekend, Bombay Bicycle Club, Phoenix, Simon and Garfunkel, John Martyn, The Staves and Crosby, Stills & Nash, as well as afro-beat and a myriad of other genres.
Their mature sound defies their young age. It’s sweet and lush and dreamy and no bullshit or arrogance or swagger. A breath of fresh air.
You could cut the lush harmonies with a knife, the lead voices are stunning, the musicianship of all five guys is exemplary and production values world class. The song writing is pure craftsmanship writ large.
A real shame that they are done after the UK shows and half a dozen gigs in Europe, and that Kawala will be no more at the end of this month (Feb ’25).
But we are pretty sure we will be hearing from Daniel and Jim as songwriters; either collectively or for separate projects in the near future. We do hope so. Both very talented chaps.
Kawala you will be missed…
Kawala European Tour Dates 2025
February 20th – Bahnhof Pauli, Hamburg
February 21st – Café V Lese, Prague
February 22nd – Cassiopeia, Berlin
February 23rd – Artheater, Cologne
February 25th – Melkweg OZ, Amsterdam
February 26th – Boule Noire, Paris
All live photos are from 1st night of the 2025 ‘Farewell Tour’ @ The Engine Rooms, Southampton – by Liam Battersby
Posed shots x 2 of Jim & Daniel by Steve Best
Words by Steve Best
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