Hyperestis
... is the solo project of Gabrielle Emerson, a musician from Austin, Texas. She combines a distinctive mezzo-soprano voice with the fascinating aesthetics of post-punk, darkwave and gothic rock. Her work, including the EPs 'A Void' (2023) and 'O Diva' (2024), is characterised by a creative fusion of driving bass lines, minimalist guitars and atmospheric synth sounds.
As a queer, transgender woman, Gabrielle brings a deeply personal touch to her music, which is both modern and inspired by the sounds of the 80s and 90s. She's currently focused on digital music production, but she's still independent and hasn't ventured into the world of live performances yet.
Q&A
What is the story behind "Hyperestis" as an artist and how did you discover your passion for music?
When I was a kid, I'd go to stores and play with the cheap keyboards and try to play the Duran Duran I'd hear on the radio. I was always into music, and I played trumpet in school. Since the late 1980s I was playing in bands, variously playing gothic, industrial, synth pop, indie rock. Once I moved to Texas, I played keyboards and trumpet in a gigging band for a short time, but then ended up taking more than a decade off, just playing music for myself.
During the pandemic, I became inspired to create again, and wanted to do at least one EP to distribute online. So far, I've done two.
What are some of the main influences or inspirations for your music?
I played so much Depeche Mode in high school that it greatly informs how I approach songwriting. Joy Division taught me how to embrace feeling over perfection. When I first got the self-titled Clan of Xymox record, I played "Cry in the Wind" with Frank Weyzig's guitar solo constantly, and I am always looking for that sound, or the sound of 4AD records in general.
I love the atmosphere in Fields of the Nephilim's music. I could go on and on, The Church, Ladytron, Lebanon Hanover, Linea Aspera, Minuit Machine. Everything I like ends up changing how I write and play. Lyrically I enjoy poetic people like Steve Kilbey, Edward Ka-Spel, Robyn Hitchcock. Some artists I am excited about right now are Vexagon and The Bleak Assembly.
How do you balance your artistic vision with the expectations of your audience or the industry?
That's pretty easy - I just play what I want to hear. I am working within the broad darkwave genre with Hyperestis, and sometimes I'll make decisions based on what I perceive people's tastes are, but my own sound always comes through and doesn't always fit with the playlists I'd like to be on.
Many times I've been compared with artists and bands that I wasn't even thinking about when I made the music, but they are artists that I have listened to a lot in my life. I don't fight that, though I sometimes wonder if I should find a new way to classify my music. When I am compared to the Cure, it's lovely - I only wish I was making that kind of money!
Some people think there's too much guitar and not enough in-your-face dance production. Other people are the opposite. Some people like lyrics that are sung, like Siouxsie or Anje Huwe, others like more of that low, dark chanting, like Boy Harsher, and I probably sound like neither. You can't please everyone. Luckily, you don't need to get everything from just one band.
What are some of the challenges and rewards of being an independent artist?
I am not sure it's ever been an option to not be independent. I've never known anything else. The only expectations are my own. If I don't expect enough from myself, I might not do my best work or be motivated.
An upside, I think, is I am free to sing on someone else's music, switch genres, jump on different compilations - no one has heard of me so I can be pretty agile and make adjustments.
How do you go about writing lyrics for your songs?
I do most of my writing in cafes with a fountain pen. The lyrics usually come to me quickly. I write rhythmically and rhyme schemes tend to emerge as I go. I regularly use the same verse/chorus/bridge pattern - it's not original but it works. I write my lyrics separately from the music and match lyrics with songs later. The changes I make at that time are mostly cutting things that won't fit.
What are some of the tools or techniques you use to produce your music?
I used to have all of this outboard equipment but now everything is in Studio One besides my guitar and bass. I am always challenging myself to work with a minimal number of plugins - it usually results in cleaner production but also helps Hyperestis to have a consistent sound by coming back to some of the same synths over and over.
I use a lot of Arturia emulations of vintage synths, and that will probably always get me labeled "80s", which puzzles me as everything on the radio uses synths as well.
When I am being smart, I get as much help as possible. I had Rodney Orpheus mix and master A Void and it was better for it. I mixed O Diva and had Eric Oehler master it for me. Still, I am stubborn and also want to know how to do it all myself.
How do you deal with the pressure or stress of being a musician?
At my level, the stress of being a musician is just the stress of being a person. In fact, the music is how I relieve my stress. A Void was really therapeutic, and O Diva helped me explore being someone I'm not.
What are some of the goals or dreams you have as an artist?
For a while I was content just to play music to entertain my cat. Now, I'd like to do at least one more EP or LP as Hyperestis, and then see where I want to go from there. I am making a big move across the country right now and because of that most of my stuff is packed up, which is forcing me to put energy into promotion instead, which isn't my favorite part.
When I arrive in a new city, that will certainly influence my music, and perhaps I will start thinking about working with other musicians. I love singing on other people's stuff and I hope to do more of that as well. I have been arranging acoustic versions of everything so I can just show up at a cafe with my guitar and a microphone.
I'm pretty happy with where everything is going. Though the music can sound heavy and dramatic, I am having fun with it.
NenesButler - Indie Music Blog & Label (EggerWolf Records)
