Track of the Day: DOV feat. TESHA “Save” (2018)

Brooklyn-based, Israeli queer pop musician DOV has released “Save”, his debut single and the first single from his forthcoming EP Be Your Lover, which is due for release early 2019. “Save” sees DOV team up with fellow Israeli vocalist TESHA to craft a track which explores the idea of discovering and celebrating your identity. 

DOV is the project of multi-instrumentalist and producer Dov Eagle, who moved to New York from Tel Aviv following a stint in the Israeli Defence Forces. The son of a left-wing political activist, he migrated from Israel, as the ideals held up by the state conflicted with the life he wanted to lead as a queer liberal musician and artist. 

“Save” grabs your attention, despite its somewhat subtle instrumentation. There’s nothing particularly showy about any of it, rather the percussive elements and the guitar are all impeccably understated. There’s an air of otherworldliness to it all too, thanks in part to TESHA’s vocals and the slight ethereal nature of elements of the instrumentation. Talking about the track DOV has said: 

““Save” is about being gay, being queer – it’s a spiritual movement about releasing yourself from your past, the house that you grew up in, and from society’s never-ending demands and constraining definition of sexual orientation.”

Whilst perhaps not the most overt or exorbitant celebration of identity, lyrically “Save” strongly champions the idea of accepting who you are, and embracing that freedom to be yourself and to be different, irregardless of the expectations of others. Though it might be understated in its delivery this remains a powerful and important message.

“Save” is available now. You can find DOV on Facebook and Instagram.

Header Image: Charley Ezra

Simon Clark

Books Editor. An admirer of songs and reader of books. Simon has a PhD in English and Comparative Literature. All errant apostrophes are his own.