Review: Declan McKenna – ‘Daniel, You’re Still A Child’

Declan McKenna is one of the most exciting acts in music right now and his new single ‘Daniel, You’re Still A Child’ off of his upcoming album Zeros is an absolute banger. The follow up to the previous indie bop ‘The Key to Life on Earth’ really lives up to the hype that is surrounding McKenna and Zeros.

The catchiness of this new track is undeniable, opening with a smooth bassline and drums, giving it a snappy flair. A colourful concoction of catchy riffs and pulsating bass, ‘Daniel, You’re Still a Child’ details a story of being lost in some way. When talking about this single McKenna said “You know “Daniel, You’re Still A Child” because he’s lost in the aftermath, whether it’s lost in the sauce, stoned, lost in some existential fear or lost his way in some VR game”. The character Daniel appears on two tracks on the upcoming album Zeros, and appears to symbolize how easy it is to be led astray in a world that tells you that you’re not ‘normal’.

Through his witty and insightful lyrics, McKenna is attempting to portray the message that “social media isn’t this alien spaceship, it’s the reality in which young people are living in”. McKenna is able to capture how mad the world is currently and all of the singles released from Zeros are an indication that there are a lot of problems in the world, many of which that affect the youth of today.

The new pop-leaning sound that Declan is going for on the new record is absolutely sublime and will no doubt help to boost his success and push him into the mainstream.

‘Daniel, You’re Still A Child’ is available now via Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited.