In a couple weeks, Dana Gavanski is releasing her new album LATE SLAP, and she’s shared “How To Feel Uncomfortable,” “Let Them Row,” and “Ears Were Growing” from it so far. Today, Gavanski is back with one more, “Song For Rachel.”

“This song is dedicated to my childhood best friend who passed away in 2022,” Gavanski said. “It’s about unconditional love, learning to give it, receive it, and respect the different paths we may find ourselves on. I miss her dearly. She was a born adventurer.” She continued:

I wrote the song from a place of sadness but also of celebration of a person that had a profound impact on my life. I spent most of my childhood wandering the alleyways and parks with Rachel. Before I turned 13, I would join her and her family on road trips to California every spring break, going from timeshare to timeshare, from Palm Springs to Palm Desert, to Medieval Times for a roast chicken and some knights play-fighting in an arena, and always a day at Disneyland with a handful of churros. We’d also spend our days at the beach, the pool, or bingo with her mom, sometimes wandering off into whatever was nearby, searching for something, who knows what—sometimes a juicy orange hanging from a tree over a fence. I loved wandering with her, but I was also a lot more shy and hesitant so I mostly followed behind. She was trusting and respectful of people in a way that I wasn’t or hadn’t been at the time. I learnt a lot by watching, and relished the interactions…

The last time I saw her was before I left for Montréal. It was heartbreaking for me as we had rekindled our friendship after a few years of growing apart. We kept in touch for a while but, as naturally happens when people are in different places, we lost touch again until a few years before she passed. It’s hard for me to reconcile what’s happened. As it just feels like she’s still somewhere wandering in the same city I left her.

Listen below.

LATE SLAP is out 4/5 via Full Time Hobby.