Here is the emotive new single from Norwegian/Welsh duo Firewoodisland. ‘As Long As I Go’ is the sort of song and video that stays with you, musically, lyrically and visually, long after experiencing it. Warm and lush, the production is effective in drawing the melancholy from the guitar and the dreamy, wistful sadness from Stian Vedøy’s and Abi Eleri’s harmony vocals. The narrative arc of the video, created by Vedøy, is incredibly well-realised and mirrors perfectly the song’s lyrical intent. As Vedøy sings: “How can I continue without my love,” the tone changes utterly. When you know that the song relates the story of of a close friend who lost his partner to cancer, it becomes all the more affecting. But for all the aching sorrow in the words and performance, ‘As Long As I Go’ is, ultimately, a hopeful song, a song of resilience and healing in the embrace of those we love and who love us.
Firewoodisland say of the song and video: “‘As Long As I Go’ is a song of grief and encouragement. It speaks of a relationship that was meant to be unbreakable. It tells the story of a friend who lost his partner to cancer. It touches on loneliness and emptiness and taking one step at the time. One might never get to the point where we move on from a tragedy like this but as long as we go and not give up there is hope for a bright future once more. It’s one of the most emotionally charged and honest songs we’ve written while not being about our own personal experience. It’s a completely different way of writing when you have to put yourself into someone else’s shoes. Trying to express their feelings in first person when you’ve only experienced those feelings from an outsider’s perspective. It was pretty overwhelming and all consuming writing this song. A music version of method acting maybe?” Understandably a challenging task, Stian Vedøy and Abi Eleri have crafted an intimate, reflective song incredibly effectively.
‘As Long As I Go’ is the title track from the duo’s six-song EP, which has just been released. They refer to their sound as ‘mountain pop’, an absorbing blend of folk and indie-pop. Firewoodisland’s self-titled second album in 2020 was their well-received breakthrough. They have been supported by the likes of BBC 6 Music and BBC 2 and seen their music used in TV shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Shadowhunter. Check out the new EP, which will form the A-side of their forthcoming LP.
