Loathe, the revered Liverpool metalcore quartet, have been engaging in some great collaborations for a new series of tracks, reimagining their own singles with the help of other artists. The song in question, “Is It Really You?” was released on the album I Let It In And It Took Everything from 2020, and was more recently reimagined with the help of alt-rock group Teenage Wrist as part of that same collaboration series.
As did the album as a whole, this song in particular snagged hearts. It truly tapped into emotions in a way that left everyone feeling safely vulnerable for once. And with a song so gorgeous, it’s hard to imagine how you take that and make it more. Different is easy, but elevating it to an unreal level? How?
The answer: adding Sleep Token.
Another UK darling but shrouded in secrecy and with so, so many interesting fan theories. Sleep Token are known for their instrumental versatility, experimentation, and their vocalist Vessel‘s unique, dynamic range.
In this gorgeous collaboration, we are treated to a piano rendition of the original instruments. For the opening lyrics, we hear Vessel ease us in, pull us lovingly into the song. I will admit that the tears started by the second line. The chorus? Breathtaking, literally. “Let’s search the sky for a while, you and I” feels like the most lovingly rendered invitation to intimacy with those high notes, the perfect harmonies. Vessel’s characteristic falsettos echo throughout the song, haunting and lingering. There’s excellent production, as would be expected. Instrumentally far more stripped back than the original, but fitting as it gives Vessel’s voice center stage and accompanies him perfectly.
This is absolutely a bright spot in a series of difficult times. Loathe and Sleep Token, the collaboration we dreamt of and didn’t dare to hope for came through and was so much more than I could have imagined.