Photo credit: Helena Papageorgiou
Today sees the unveiling of the brand new single, ‘Staying Up At Night’ from Melbourne (formerly Brisbane) based quartet Dag, the first release since the impressive Dogwood EP from 2014. It’s lifted from their forthcoming debut full length Benefits Of Solitude, which will see release early in 2017. The single, dealing with the precarious choice between the preference to be alone and seeking out love and companionship, is arguably the most accessible track on what is essentially a record of sonic dichotomy. A sprawling yet cohesive work full of emotion charged lyrical complexity delivered with the utmost humility. That ‘Staying Up At Night’s muscular rhythm fits neatly with its breezy disposition is a perfect introduction to the album’s oppositional but complementary tendencies. Recorded over two years in Brisbane, singer/songwriter Dusty Anastassiou enlisted the talents of Matt Ford, Josh Watson and Skye McNicol to assist in bringing the deep thoughts and observations on his formative years in the Queensland bush to full form. The talented and unassuming frontman describes what drove the record thus;
“For a long time I wanted to record an album about my experiences growing up on my family’s cattle property in Central Queensland. There is a lot of history there, good and bad. A lot of sadness set against the backdrop of the bush. Despite the beauty of wide open spaces, there is a lot of depression that comes with isolation and too much spare time. Without proper mental health support a lot of young people are driven to drink, drugs, suicide. Music acted as an escape during these times, a way of confiding in someone whilst living far away from friends. This is the inspiration behind a lot of the sombre songs on the album.”
‘Staying Up At Night’ is out now while Benefits Of Solitude will hit the streets in February on Bedroom Suck. Highly, highly recommended.
Staying Up At Night
Dag (AUS)
From the forthcoming album, ‘Benefits Of Solitude’, Bedroom Suck. Out Feb 24, 2017.
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