Oaken Wires’ ‘Parakeets’ takes a small piece of everyday London life and turns it into something far more reflective. Named after the birds that have made themselves at home in Tottenham’s parks, the single uses adaptation as a wider metaphor for relationships, memory and the uneasy feeling of learning how to live in a world that seems to be changing faster than expected.
Throughout the release, the verses stay close to the emotional aftermath of a relationship, moving between regret, nostalgia and eventual acceptance. There’s this clear awareness of what has been left unsaid, but the writing doesn’t become overly self-pitying.
Then the chorus widens the perspective further, acknowledging a harsher outside world while still holding onto the idea of survival. It’s the contrast between private disappointment and broader uncertainty that is handled with restraint, giving ‘Parakeets’ more depth than a straightforward breakup song.
Musically, the collaboration between Oaken Lee and CutWires continues to make sense. Jake’s more organic, folk-rooted instincts sit against Tim’s electronic precision, creating a sound that feels both warm and controlled. There are traces of Hot Chip and Alt-J in the rhythmic and textural choices, while the melodica adds a lighter touch that stops the track from becoming too sombre.
Following their previous offering ‘Footprints’, ‘Parakeets’ feels like a clear progression for the project. It’s thoughtful without becoming heavy-handed, melodic without losing its more unusual character, and grounded in a very specific sense of place.
There’s also something very effective about using London’s parakeets as a symbol for all of this. They are displaced, resilient and somehow still thriving. In that sense, ‘Parakeets’ becomes about what remains possible once you learn how to keep moving.