Cavetown, or Robin Skinner, returned this year with his album, “Running with Scissors.” The British artist is behind bedroom pop–alternative songs “Devil Town,” “This Is Home” and “Juliet.”
In an exclusive interview with Music Geek during his trip to Manila, he reflected on his musical identity, shared insights into his latest songs, and revealed his upcoming plans.
The singer’s interest in music began at an early age as he found it both therapeutic and enjoyable. By high school, he decided to pursue it professionally and focused on music-related subjects, particularly production.
Since then, he’s always been hands-on in crafting music. “I’ve always loved the production part the most. I originally thought I would be a producer. But as soon as my song started taking off, I was like, ‘I’ll do this.’”
Moreover, he named Alex G as a long-time influence, “I’ve felt inspired by his songwriting style and the chord progressions he uses.”
With the guitar as his main instrument, he explained that his music is built on a foundation of acoustic guitar, layered with electronic features, which he described as “glittered-up acoustic.” As he enjoyed exploring different elements, he particularly experimented with incorporating ASMR-inspired sounds alongside electronic elements.
In his latest album, “Running with Scissors,” he stated, “I’ve tried to move away from the acoustic side a little; it’s a bit more maximalist, more experimental.”
Essentially, the album blends Cavetown’s signature dream-pop sound with hyper-pop, capturing the emotional complexity of growing up and searching for his sense of self.
Among the 13 tracks in the album, he shared that “Tarmac” — which he co-wrote with Orla Gartland — took him the longest to complete. “I originally wrote it for my Worm Food album, which was over three years ago.”
Notably, the song that recently resonated with Cavetown is “Baby Spoon,” which he wrote about his girlfriend who’s currently halfway across the globe. “Getting to sing about her and our relationship helps me when I’m far away from her, and I miss her.”
Another notable song was his collaborative track “Sailboat” with Chloe Moriondo. As someone who shared the same industry background and manager, he immediately thought of Moriondo’s vocals when he wrote the song, and was delighted when the collaborator agreed to join him in the track.
Cavetown also named “Straight Through My Head (Do It!!!)” as one of his favorites on the album. In the song, he explored various elements from vocals to production.
In addition, he regarded it as the song he’s thrilled to perform for his Filipino fans. Unfortunately, the Manila show was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances with the venue.
After completing the album, he expressed pride and fulfillment, sharing that the positive response from his family and friends helped strengthen his confidence.
“My growth as a person over the past three years has been due to the confidence that my relationship has given me. And that’s seeped into the music, the way that I carry myself in the world, and on stage.” Furthermore, he noted that the experience also offered him a deeper understanding of himself and reminded him that he is constantly evolving.
In his journey, he learned to trust himself and his intuition, “Even if there’s somebody in the industry telling me that they have a different idea, I know myself and I’m in control no matter how out of control the industry feels.”
He also added, “I’ve been fortunate to have met people that I work with that can help me protect that.” Through his music, he hopes listeners find what they need, whether it’s something to dance to or something that makes them feel understood.
In the coming months, Cavetown shared plans that begin with a tour. “I’m going to be doing a tour across the UK and Europe. It’s going to be my first headline in a long time.” In addition, he expressed excitement about returning home to his family and continuing work as a producer for other artists, including Tessa Violet.
“There’s a new song that I worked on with her called ‘Knowing This Is Not Enough Is Enough.’ And we’re going to be working on some more songs.” Lastly, he teased an upcoming project with track collaborator Chloe Moriondo, scheduled for release later this year.