Gavin Haley's 'Unfolding' EP Is an Intimate Testimony on Growing Pains

In the zone, in a groove, in the pocket. Different people call it different things. Whatever you call it, everyone is familiar with that ever-elusive state of extreme focus and productivity. Where time stands still and the only thing that seems to exist in the universe is the task drawing your attention.

"I wrote Unfolding almost entirely in a few days." says alt-pop artist, Gavin Haley. Haley's latest EP, Unfolding, is a great example of what can be achieved when you wholly let your ideas and emotions pour out uninhibited. With the entire EP being written within a few days, it comes as no surprise why the 7-song compilation flows together so well. Composed with a clear beginning, middle and end, Unfolding takes the listener alongside Haley on a journey of love and loss:

"The 'Unfolding' EP is me being more vulnerable with everyone. The idea for this project was to shine a light on the things I had yet to share with the world in my writing. In my past songs, a lot of times I’m singing of relationship turmoil, but I’ve never really gone into what could have caused a lot of those issues. Unfolding is a series of growing pains through music."

On Unfolding, Haley tells his story in chronological order. Feeling stuck between an old relationship and a new one, he confesses "idk where i'm at rn." He then tries to escape his feelings with drink and drugs on "2FU." After being "So Sick of Love" he finds connection in a girl named "Tati," but the relationship ends due to a lack of "Self Control." Missing his now ex, he just wants to "Be There For You," but after realizing what he had is over, he wonders how to move on when there's still "Love That's Left."

The product of Haley's experience shines through in Unfolding as every trial, tribulation, and triumph is embodied in his songwriting. He has been through health struggles, various relationships, and an unconventional upbringing in Louisville, Kentucky split between homeschooling and churchgoing. With the addition of an irresistible alternative pop sound that incorporates acoustic guitars and a hip-hop undercurrent serving as a backdrop to his confessional lyrics, Unfolding is a compelling ride from start to finish.

Listen to Unfolding and watch the music video for "Self Control" ft. Izzy Bizu below: