DAMIEN, a prolific Ipswich darkwave artist, kicks off 2023 with a high-energy release, the second single from his upcoming third album. Following the success of his current single, "Nowhere," DAMIEN begins 2023 with the explosive "Empty" which brings a slight touch of dubstep into the artist's trademark industrial-pop sound. Oozing with carefully crafted sonic layering, "Empty" is a club-ready hit on the surface but dives deeply into themes of existential longing and a desire to be loved within the lyrical content. "Empty" is a brash lift in dynamic from the current single, "Nowhere" and paves the way for the release of "Candidate For the Abyss" the third album in three years for darkwave artist, which is set to be released in June 2023.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey DAMIEN, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hard to say. I have distinct memories of my mother singing melancholy songs to me as a child, such as Scarborough Fair and Molly Malone, and have always enjoyed singing. The DAMIEN project began in 2020 during global lockdowns as a means of creating big sounding music as an individual in isolation.
Describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician.
What I like is the sense of achievement that comes from translating an idea in my head to something I can play with my hands and hear with my ears. I also love the thrill of seeing and hearing other people connect with and enjoy my music. The thing I don’t like is the way music is commoditized as a product to be monetized within an industry. To me that fuels competition and division, not unity, and music should be about unity and community.
Your latest song is 'Empty'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
The original demo for ‘Empty’ was built on the sounds of Negro Spiritual Music. A simple chant, with layered harmonies that could be sung to get one through the torment of the day. Whilst I don’t for a second want to equate anything I have experienced with slavery, the music formulation begun by listening to Negro Spiritual songs like Swing Low Sweet Chariot. So, given ‘Empty’s final evolution into a club song, that in itself probably comes as a surprise.
How do you differ from most other artists?
Perhaps I don’t. I think we all want to believe we are distinctly different from everyone else, but I tend to think we are far more alike than we often realize. I believe seeing the likeness is what assists us in developing greater empathy towards one another and ultimately greater compassion. So maybe my ‘difference’ is that I view myself as the same.
Where are you from and do you have a stable home or do you prefer travelling?
I am from many places, but presently I live in Ipswich, Australia, and it feels like home for me. I like to travel, but presently having a stable home is necessary for where I am in life, and I think I will always keep my base location here in Ipswich.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
The music I typically release blends pop with industrial, rock and electronica. It’s usually dark in mood but up in tempo and sounds a bit like Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, yet altogether different.
How do you nurture your own creativity?
I view my creativity as something other than me. Something that I am simply swimming in. A river that nourishes my body and soul. I can drink from that river at any time or dive into it, or splash around, or simply float. I think younger me wanted to dam that river and try and catch all the water that was flowing around me, but I now realize it is more pleasurable just to let the waters rush over me and not worry if a particular drop passes me by. There is no shortage of water.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
I would love to open for Gorillaz or Siiickbrain. I think I’d be a good fit.
Who's your ideal musician to collaborate with and why?
My favourite person to collaborate with is Mixing Engineer, Nathan Goldblatt. He has an uncanny ability to bring my production to a whole new life with his mixing. I also find Hugh Middleton, another mixing engineer, great to work with for similar reasons.
What are your plans for the future?
The plan is to continue to write, release and perform. As long as I can do those things I am happy, and the more people I can connect with through my music and performances, the better. I will be releasing another single in a few months time and an album in the middle of the year.