New York City-based singer-songwriter Leo Sawikin unveils his new single, “The Same Mistakes,” a track from his upcoming sophomore album which he is presently working on with heavyweight Seattle producer, Phil Ek, whose resume includes Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Modest Mouse, and Built to Spill.
Tracks from the album will be released throughout 2023 and mirror Sawikin’s new aesthetic, which he describes as “sort of an indie folk pop with a dreamy shimmer.” The forthcoming album follows Sawikin’s 2021 debut album, Row Me Away, featuring “A Whole World Waiting,” the title track, and “Take What You Want.”
“The Same Mistakes” delves into the question of why, collectively, and personally, many people seem unable to break out of the pattern of making the same mistakes over and over.
Sawikin explains, “We do so many things that we know are wrong or destructive, but the part of us that recognizes this isn’t always the part that’s in control. I think that’s the tragedy of being human. We are aware of our frailty, yet we still get stuck in these loops of damaging behavior. There’s no question that humans can do almost anything we set our minds to – what we have accomplished in our short time on this planet is astounding. We have the ability to save the world from ourselves, but do we have the will?
Opening on a low-slung, softly gleaming guitar topped by Sawikin’s oh-so evocative voice, at once tender and wistful, “The Same Mistakes” rolls into a delicious, throbbing rhythm, swaying on gentle undulations. Slowly building, the tune takes on a glowing wall of sound, full of enveloping resonance and gorgeous, shimmering coloration.
Sawikin’s silky vocals escalate from lusciously pensive to soaring tones, imbuing the lyrics with yearning passion.
“Heart up on a shelf / These pieces of myself / So hard to tell / Living in this well.”
Simultaneously poignant and dripping with profound emotion, with “The Same Mistakes,” Leo Sawikin creates a beguiling sonic ambiance.