Declan McKenna starts a new chapter with independent singles ‘Champagne’ and ‘That’s Life’

nme.com:

Declan McKenna has started a new chapter, sharing two new singles called ‘Champagne’ and ‘That’s Life’. Check them out below.Announced today (October 28), the two new songs come as the first self-released material from the singer, songwriter and guitarist, following on from his last studio album ‘What Happened To The Beach?’.Released as part of his brand new independent label, Miniature Ponies, the two singles mark the first steps in McKenna “taking on the complete ownership of his creativity and artistry,” reads a press release.

They were both developed and recorded over the late summer, although they stemmed from previously-made ideas.In ‘Champagne’, McKenna takes on an upbeat, summer feeling – capturing a pulsating beat and exploring the overwhelming highs and lows that come from excess. “You can’t celebrate without champagne/ Gonna hold my heart/ Up, up, out and away/ Dance and celebrate with what’s-her-face/ From what’s it called, oughta know,” he sings in the psychedelic chorus.As for ‘That’s Life’, the single is more mellow than its counterpart and tackles the cyclical nature of life while maintaining an optimistic outlook. “When they say don’t hurt your innocent minds/ If you really wanna know how it works/ Get in line/ That’s life/ That’s right, you’ll learn,” he explains in the pre-chorus.Check out both below.“‘Champagne’ and ‘That’s Life’ have come together in the last few months as the first finished tracks produced with my good friend Jules [Apollinaire].

They are old ideas that started to come to life while I was messing around with them in my new studio, ‘Champagne’ even has me playing live drums for the first time for a full track,” McKenna said of the two new singles.“The themes of both are quite similar.