I often find myself missing London—the way the dark, gloomy weather made me turn inwards, the way everything feels more emotional when you're steeling yourself against the elements. That's what I think about when I listen to "Know Yourself," the debut solo single from Tilla, a 17-year-old member of London's Space Age crew. You may have heard him alongside FADER fave Little Simz, but his first effort on his own puts him in singular territory. When he sings, If you ever decide you want to fight for yourself/ Don't feel obliged to dismiss miss your health, over airy production from Josh Arcé and Loner Muaka, it's a welcome cue to take a step back and reflect.
"We get so caught up in everything around us, we become numb to sense of self. I wrote this song as a personal reminder about unity, progression, and self-love, in hope that someone would listen, connect, and think, ‘I really needed to hear that,'" Tilla told The FADER.
A few spins in on a cold October morning, I can confirm I needed to hear it. You might, too. Listen to the track below.