Leeds-based Adi Lee releases “Addicted” today, Valentine’s Day, which feels fitting given that the song grew out of a deeply personal place – his relationship with his wife and his own history with addiction. He wrote it after spending time in Spain at the La Sierra Casa retreat, where producer Kyle Faulkner was a major influence. The recording happened at Kris Evans’ studio in Manchester, a guy who’s worked with Faulkner, Prose, and The Castros, among others. Adi walked in planning a stripped acoustic track and walked out with something entirely different: violins, layered build-ups, and an intro that completely reframed the song. He mentions it even changed how he plays it live.
What makes “Addicted” work is that it doesn’t limit itself to one kind of addiction. The lyrics intentionally convey that ambiguity, representing a relationship, a substance, and an obsession, and that open-endedness is what gives the song its anthemic quality. It’s the kind of track that a room full of people can sing back without needing to agree on what it means to them. The melodic hook is genuinely hard to shake, and the production builds in a way that earns the emotional payoff rather than just announcing it.
With shows lined up at Hyde Park Book Club, Manchester Academy 3, and Belgrave in Leeds, Adi Lee has a lot of room to let this one grow and evolve in a live setting. It’s the kind of song that has room to be reinterpreted and re-arranged to have longer encore sections with more dynamics from the live band and the audience. Will be on the lookout to see how this one fares.