Photo Credit: Sebastian Mlynarski & Kevin J Thomson

CHVRCHES and the Cure's Robert Smith join forces on "How Not To Drown"

June 2, 2021

Photo Credit: Sebastian Mlynarski & Kevin J Thomson

CHVRCHES have enlisted the help of the Cure’s Robert Smith to release their emotional new single, “How Not To Drown.” The deeply vulnerable track is about coming back from a place you thought you’d never return from when the stress and pressure of everything make it impossible to escape and bounce back to your true self.

“How Not To Drown” is the latest single from CHVRCHES since they released, “He Said She Said” last April. Both songs are off the band’s forthcoming full-length, Screen Violence, set to arrive in late August. Meanwhile, the collaborative track features loud beats, insightful lyrics and meticulously well-composed instrumental parts–exactly what you’d expect from two of the UK’s most regarded musical acts.

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The collaboration blends elements of CHVRCHES’ electronic dreaminess and Smith’s timeless pained vocals for a reflective, longing lament. The track opens with lead singer Lauren Mayberry singing, “I’m writing a book on how to stay conscious when you drown.” Smith comes in later with “I’m writing a chapter on what to do after they take you up.” The duo takes a literary break on the chorus, where together they sing, “Tell me how/It’s better when the sun goes down/We’ll never escape this town/I was afraid when you caught me/look what you taught me.” A transcendental lone synth adds a haunting cascade to Smith’s already alluring voice for a dramatic and insightful finale.

The song’s accompanying music video is drenched in green hues, featuring trippy graphics and creepy photos of bats and beyond, perfectly capturing the goth aesthetic. Check out the full video below.

The band even livestreamed on YouTube ahead of the video debut, sharing behind-the-scenes details of their songwriting process as fans eagerly awaited for the visual to drop.

CHVRCHES first announced “How Not To Drown” on Twitter, where the band had been teasing a new release for weeks through cryptic messages. However, Smith almost revealed the collaboration early after posting a photo of himself on a large screen with Mayberry. Following the post from his personal account, Smith tweeted, “@CHVRCHES I WILL STOP NOW AS I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH I AM SUPPOSED TO BE GIVING AWAY….”

#CHVRCHES I WILL STOP NOW AS I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH I AM SUPPOSED TO BE GIVING AWAY… X https://t.co/hdkVhbYYom pic.twitter.com/0meovDc76Z

— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) May 31, 2021

In response, Mayberry fired back with the second line from the single. “That’s alright,” the artist posted “If the words float up to the surface, I’ll keep them down…” Since the song hadn’t been released yet, fans were left wondering what the mysterious words could mean.

Previously, a photo posted to CHVRCHES’ Instagram showed a series of cryptic letters over Mayberry’s face with the caption, “BGU+CHV.” Fans immediately deciphered the amalgam and discovered the message read: “‘How Not To Drown’ coming Wednesday June second.”