Del Water Gap Dives Deeper into Heartache and Healing with New Deluxe Release

This article is cross-posted on That Fangirl Life: https://thatfangirllife.com/2024/08/del-water-gap-dives-deeper-into-heartache-and-healing-with-new-deluxe-release/.

Del Water Gap is one of the fastest-rising names in music. Whether you’ve discovered Del Water Gap through his ongoing gig as the opener for Niall Horan’s The Show Live On Tour, for his work with producer Sammy Witte (who boasts credits working with the likes of Harry Styles, Luke Hemmings, Halsey, SZA) or with his newly released deluxe version of his stellar sophomore album I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet, S. Holden Jaffe’s stage name is a name to get used to hearing.

I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet – Deluxe, released 16 August, builds upon an already pretty darn near-perfect album with the additions of Purple Teeth, The Bravery and Midas, along with an addictive live version of previously released, Doll House.

Since his self-titled debut album in 2019, Del Water Gap has always been unflinchingly candid about relationships. He often sees their demise as the result of his own anxieties and romantic indecision. But with the influence of a little red wine-induced courage, Purple Teeth, The Bravery has him frustrated, ready to lay it all on the line, and caught in a relationship that’s tearing him apart. 

Purple Teeth’s verses hold the bulk of Jaffe’s internal discord, as he begs questions like “Maybe you’re searching for the love of your life/Or maybe you’re just searching for someone to fight.” The track is visually vibrant, with images like pacing the floor and painting his partner as distant enough to be asking “In the morning through bleary eyes/You’ll ask me, Baby, have you been crying?” The electronic indie production and rich, melancholic vocals are a groovier version of what is easily recognisable as Del Water Gap’s sound, comparable to tracks like All We Ever Do Is Talk and Gemini. The magnetic chorus of the track is desperate and unreserved, culminating in its simple yet powerful ultimatum: “When I say that I love you it’s not an attack/But Purple teeth, you’re killing me/You treat me so unkind/Till I draw the line.”

While Purple Teeth sees the more outspoken version of Del Water Gap, Midas is a return to his more alternative sound and self-deprecating lyricism, all wrapped up in something a little more clever than your average alt-pop track. Jaffe proclaims he’s “King Midas in reverse/Cause everything I touch/Eventually turns to dirt” as he floats through the multidimensional sonic landscape created by Witte’s practised hand. But in the end, Del Water Gap is just as soft and humble as he is astute: “I make a truce with myself/And I don’t reckon that I’m cursed.”

Del Water Gap’s deluxe edition of I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet continues to showcase S. Holden Jaffe’s raw talent and emotional depth, and the additions of Purple Teeth, The Bravery and Midas only highlight his ability to blend introspective lyricism with innovative production. Del Water Gap is a compelling voice in the indie music scene, and with Purple Teeth, The Bravery and Midas, he’s left listeners eagerly anticipating what he will explore next.