Trying: Cavetown -

The song’s core was born from a place of fear and a need for reassurance.

For many in the community, "Trying" has become an anthem for those who feel they are "difficult" to love because of their mental health. It resonates particularly with queer and trans youth who find comfort in Skinner's candidness about his own growth and identity. The transition from the raw, 2015 bedroom-pop version to the more polished Sleepyhead production mirrors Skinner’s own journey as an artist—refining his voice while keeping the same vulnerable heart. Cavetown is trying to change - The Line of Best Fit

: The opening lines describe trying to "form these feelings into cubes" and sort them in his mind. This highlights a desperate attempt to make sense of overwhelming emotions, separating "negative thoughts" from "happy things" just to function. Cavetown - Trying

by Cavetown (the musical project of Robin Skinner ) is a deeply intimate exploration of mental health, vulnerability, and the exhausting effort required to maintain relationships while struggling with self-loathing. Released as the sixth track on the 2020 album Sleepyhead , the song is actually a re-recorded and refined version of his older track "I Promise I’m Trying" from the 2015 EP Nervous Friends // Pt. 1 . Origins and Personal Meaning

: Skinner has shared in livestreams that he originally wrote the song for his mother during a period of significant mental health struggles. He used the lyrics to express his fear that his struggles might make him difficult to love or that his mother might not "like" the version of him he was becoming. The song’s core was born from a place

: By labeling his current state as just a "bump in the road," the song offers a glimmer of hope. It frames the pain not as a permanent failure, but as a difficult phase that requires constant, albeit exhausting, effort to overcome. Impact and Legacy

: Skinner describes feeling like he is in a "dream state" where he should have "woken up by now," a common sentiment for those experiencing dissociation or a sense of being stuck in a cycle of poor mental health. The transition from the raw, 2015 bedroom-pop version

: During live performances, Skinner has noted that the song helped him navigate the process of coming out, serving as a vehicle for the complex emotions surrounding identity and acceptance. Lyrical Themes: The Mental "Rubik's Cube"