DAYDREAM DEATHRAY: Crispy and bold Shoegaze from Kentucky
Daydream Deathray is an aggressively melodic Shoegaze band from Kentucky. They have a great band’s name also.
Originally conceived in 2016 from the dissolution of a punk rock band, the project was initially mired in difficulty. At the end of their first attempt at a debut EP, the studio owner left town and ceased communication with his clients. This prompted founding member, Matt Glick, to put together his own studio and re-record that EP. But, just as it was nearly completed, the studio was broken into and nearly everything was stolen - including their recordings. This came on the heels of family tragedy for Glick, leaving him in a cloud of depression for months, and effectively ending that chapter of the group.
Once Glick finally began recording again, a different aesthetic direction started to naturally present itself. With this sense of a fresh start, Daydream Deathray have crafted a short and sweet debut that feels light, but with a sprawling sense of darkness just on the horizon. They give an overwhelming sense of personality to their take on a genre that often tends to fit neatly within its own self-imposed guidelines.
Note from the Editor: Before the interview starts some apology on the latness of this article. The band have been kind enough to send the blog their interview earlu in 2020 and due to operations slowing it is only now that it is picked up.
Who are the group members?
As of this moment, it’s really kind of just me. There have been a few half-assed attempts at putting together a live band, with one more attempt coming really soon. But, I dunno… people are busy, I’m kind of particular about things, and playing live just hasn’t really been too much of a focus for me. That being said, Mandy Mac was part of the last attempt at putting something together, and we get along pretty well - so, as long as everything works out, I’m sure she will remain a part of the line up. Judah Moore-Denk is possibly going to join on guitar, and Zach Ortiz may be joining on bass, for this next experiment.
How did you meet?
With Mandy and Zach, it’s mostly just from playing with other bands in the past, and/or just having mutual friends. Judah is actually the son of some friends of mine, which is wild. I’ve actually witnessed him grow up, and always knew he’d turn out to be a rad adult.
How did you come up with your name?
Coming up with band names is really not a strength, for me. Daydream Deathray means something, but I can’t possibly articulate what it is. What is your music about? On the first EP, Bloom, it’s kind of all over the place. Love, rejecting conservative idealism, and surrealism are all there. I don’t ever think too much about the “what” or the “why” with lyrics or themes. I kind of just arrange whatever seems to be flowing through me from the ether, I guess.
What are your goals as an artist artistically/commercially?
I really do mostly just try to make music that I enjoy. In doing so, I hope others get a feeling from it that I get from the music that inspires me. I like pushing my own boundaries, too.
What are you trying to avoid as a band?
I think part of the reason I’ve (maybe subconsciously) stifled us becoming a legitimate live band is to avoid situations I’ve been wrapped up in with past bands. I just don’t want to become too boxed in, creatively. I feel like if I’m writing the majority of the songs, I shouldn’t feel limited in following whatever direction feels natural for me. But that’s not a mentality that everyone can always get on board with, when everyone feels equally invested in a project.
Why do you make the music you make? Is it in you? Is it your environment?
I guess it’s just who I am. I’ve tried to stop and focus on other things, but it never works.
What inspire you for the music or for the Lyrics?
Sometimes it’s just whatever is going on in my life, or whatever is eating up a lot of my energy on a larger social level. A lot of times, it’s love or desire, and trying to put words to those feelings, but in a way that hasn’t been done a million times before. But, usually, it just…comes. I don’t know from where or why.
Tell us what you are looking when trying to achieve your sounds. Do you experiment a lot or have a clear idea of what you want?
Sometimes, it’s a very clear idea, and it comes out exactly as planned. Other times, it takes years of fooling with a part of a song that I can’t stop messing with. I try to not be too rigid with creating things, and just let things happen. And, sometimes that means it takes a really long time to happen (as you know…haha.)
Explain your songwriting process.
I usually just have something come to me while I’m playing guitar, and I’ll either take the reigns a bit and make something of it, or I’ll be a little more patient with it, and just hop on board and see where it takes me.
Describe your palette of sound.
It depends on my mood, I suppose. I may have synesthesia, to some degree. I tend to think about visual color spectrums a lot while writing and recording.
Who would you want as a dream producer, and why?
I have “heroes” when it comes to music and production, but I think I’d be far too timid to work with many of them, if the chance arose. And, I’m aware that I likely wouldn’t get out of it whatever I’ve fantasized about, y’know? I think, practically, I’m far more interested in working with dream mixing engineers. And, at the top of that list is Alan Moulder. I would have the time of my life just sitting and learning from someone like that.
If you could guest on someone else’s album, who would it be and why? What would you play?
I’d actually really love to work on a straight up pop record. Specifically on the ‘sound design’ end of things.
What musical skills would you like to acquire or get better at?
I’m currently focusing most of my practicing energy on becoming a much better drummer. I’ve always been able to play a bit, but I’d like to be really proficient someday.
And, as always, I wish I could sing better. Like, much better.
Which other musician/artist would you date?
Well, I am happily married to the most beautiful human being on the planet. But, I guess, purely for the interest of having a laugh, I could mention that I had some pretty heavy teenage crushes on Toni Halliday and Miki Berenyi.
Is there a band that if they didn’t exist you wouldn’t be making the music you make?
So many, really. In addition to the obvious ones like Lush, MBV, Curve, Slowdive, I’d have to say The Cure, Jane’s Addiction, and Smashing Pumpkins were probably the three most important ones to me in my formative years.
You are from the U.S. what are the advantages and inconvenient?
I like the fact that I live in the middle of dozens of bigger cities, but I actually live in a really small town in Kentucky. So, I get the best of both worlds. It’s pretty easy to tour here, especially in the eastern half of the country. As far as drawbacks go, I’d have to say they’re currently mostly political.
What are some places around the world that you hope to play with your band?
I would really, really love to tour Europe someday. My last band got several offers, but it never worked out for various reasons. But I really LOVE traveling and exploring, and if I had all the money in the world, I doubt I would ever stop traveling for very long, with or without music as the catalyst.
When is the next album/EP due?
Hopefully before the end of winter. I had really hoped to have an EP out months ago, and a full length in the spring. But, life happens, I guess. I seriously have so much material at various stages of completion. There’s already at least three full lengths worth of stuff up my sleeve, if not more.
Some artists you recommend.
I hate to say that my ability to find current music that really excites me has been sort of ceased up in the past few years. I used to know all of the cool new bands before everyone else. Now, I’m like “holy shit this band is amazing!” And then realize the recording came out 2-5 years ago. I guess it’s because I’m not out socializing and touring all the time, anymore. I’m fairly out of touch.
Anything else you want your fans to know?
If anyone’s actually a fan, I’m beyond grateful for them taking the time to listen, and I’m overjoyed that they connect with what I create.
