Dust Monk
Dust Monk set its dark twisted tales of modern life to a subterranean retro-noir sonic backdrop, often unsettling, always intriguing. It’s 2021 in a 1950’s B movie, nothing is sacred, anything can be said.
We are duo from North West England that make Dustpop. We write songs for ourselves, to make sense of the world and if we can bring some people along for the ride then that is a bonus. (Jamie)
We have been inspired by a lot of 50’s, 60’s and 70’s records that we have always coined as “dust” to each other. The “pop” part is dragging those forgotten styles into the future. Using electronic sounds to old melodies.We are devout Monks of the dust. We want those lost melodies to be heard by fresh ears. (Phil)
Choppy Waters
Sie erzählen uns die Geschichte jener die einen nicht so einfachen Weg wählen obwohl dieser vorhanden wäre, und verpacken das Ganze in einer herrlichen Soundcollage aus exquisiten Klängen und einem powervollen Rhythmus. Die gut gewählten Klänge vermögen zu überraschen und tauchen immer wieder an der richtigen Stelle auf, sodass reichlich für Abwechslung gesorgt ist. Besonders der Klang der Snare ist gut gewählt, kurz und druckvoll, wirkt sie dabei sehr neutral zum schweren Bass und der Bassdrum, welche ordentlich Dampf machen. Die Synthsounds in den Übergängen sind richtig dosiert und sorgen für das Geleit Richtung Highlight. Höhepunkt ist sicher die Performance der Vocals, einerseits sehr dem Rhythmus folgend andererseits harmonisch angehaucht und in den Backingvocals, welche besonders abwechslungsreich gestaltet wurden, eingebettet. Dadurch erhalten wir diesen, fast schon, einzigartigen Sound von Dust Monks "Choppy Waters". So we have to say Achtung: call it catchy, call it Dust Monk or let us say, "catchy as Dust Monk"!!!
The Interview
Who inspired you to make music in general?
(Jamie) - Musically speaking, my main influences for this are Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Captain Beefheart and Mike Patton. Patton has created a space for himself that gives freedom. I want that too. The Beatles too, of course.
(Phil) We have been brought up in working class town called Warrington, lodged between two major cities, Liverpool and Manchester soaked in musical heritage. Music is in the blood you know.
For this particular project … I was listening to everything from Eddie Cochran, Neil Diamond, Zappa to the Five Satins. Some how we have ended up sounding like a mash up of the Prodigy verses the Beach Boys!
...and especially to the song "Choppy Waters"?
(Jamie) - I wasn't really thinking about anything in particular when this was written. Thr drum pattern started the song off, I wrote around the drums and we used backing vocals as an instrument. But as a song it's about creating a mood, an atmosphere. It's intentionally stark and bare, almost hypnotic.
(Phil) Jamie sent this just meaning to be an interlude … I thought this can be a song! “Can you make this longer”. It really reminded me of 80s Bowie. Jamie’s backing vox were haunting and beautiful and drove it instumentally, the beat was repetitive ever lasting and the bass was apocalyptic. He was surprised I was that excited about it.
When he sent it to me I was in work. I immediately went on a "break" and started getting a melody and lyrics down, there and then in my car. It felt easy which is always a good sign.
When do you decide that a song is ready for a release?
(Jamie) We've had an album recorded and ready to go for a few months now. So we just went back and forth on which songs to release and when.
What is your creative process like?
(Jamie) - We both write. Sometimes it's me on my own, sometimes it's Phil on his own, most of the time we both contribute to most songs. It just depends. The main thing is we trust eachother to run with our ideas and that is the Dust Monk philosophy.
(Phil) Me and Jamie were in a band called Dropscience for years together in a distant past and hadn’t really connected since. The whole pandemic thing started and that's when we reached out to each other again. Using Macs/Garageband we would create covers for fun. Adding layer upon layer, back and fro kind of thing. As time went on we started writing using the same technique.
What is the most useful talent you have?
(Jamie) Spending money on musical gear and equipment.
Phil didn't answer, but he always surprises me with his ideas and it's always good.
If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?
(Jamie) I suppose for the sake of the band, no. Our past made this happen.
How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?
(Jamie) - The Internet has been a help and a hindrance and I'm still trying to decide which has the edge. It's never been easier to spread your message, so I suppose social media has helped in some sense. But the impact on people in a negative way outweighs the good. Also payouts for music streaming is a bit insulting. We are stuck with that.
(Phil) Anyone who said “I’ll make yer famous” years ago before social media erupted, you’d avoid. But at least you could look at them in the eyes and use your intuition. Now everyone is saying it hid behind a laptop. Naive musicians are mugged off even more because of it. You obviously have the chance to get to a wider audience if you know what you’re doing, but if you don’t, its like throwing your art in a massive blackhole. There isn’t any money in it anymore unless you tour like hell. "Pay to play” has become standard. It’s hard going for a lot of upcoming musicians.
What’s next for you?
(Jamie) After this single we have some Dolby Atmos mixes to unleash, a video for another song, an album in the can ready to go. We'll continue to write songs and probably get stuck into recording the second album. And we'll gig if we have to but there's people to find and persuade first....
