Brisbane alternative outfit Days Like These today released the second single, “High & Glow”, from their new EP Wide Awake which will be out on May 14.

The song is a break from tradition for the band, taking in a heavier side to Days Like These than fans may be used to, and also incorporates a touch more electronica than before. Vocalist Callen Batson joined HEAVY to talk about the single.

“’High & Glow’ is a bit of a wildcard for us in terms of what's on the EP,” he said. “It's one of the heavier tunes and we're glad we could release it as a single. It's got a bit of a rave-like feel, a bit of disco, while slightly heavy as well. Lyrically it touches on partying and drug use and my experience with that and maybe a comment on how I see that culture. It's a bit of a different tune for us and we are excited to release it as a single.”

The single pushes new boundaries musically for the band, with Batson agreeing that this new direction is something Days Like These have been working towards for some time.

"Yeah, I think it's definitely one of the heaviest songs we have written,” he nodded. “It's got... there's some sections of the song where we've tuned down the guitar quite a bit more than we normally do to add a bit of a different vibe. I think it's the stand out track on the EP in terms of how it sounds sonically as well. Our friend Chris who produced the record definitely helped us to achieve that.”

In the full interview, Callen talks more about the song and the meaning behind it, previous single “Gravity” and how these two songs stand up to the rest of the EP, the musical direction of Wide Awake, surviving COVID, plans for the rest of the year and more.