Twice Dark’s new single "Invisible Man" explores themes of impermanence and feeling unseen. Blending synth-pop rhythms with introspective lyrics, the track offers a compelling glimpse into their upcoming album, Telekinetic.
1. Invisible
Man is your second single from Telekinetic. Can you tell us a bit about the
inspiration behind this track and its themes of ephemerality and being unseen?
Absolutely,
Invisible Man is about a few things. It’s about feeling unseen but it’s also
about the realization that any mark you leave on society or the world will
disappear and be forgotten very quickly. It’s about the idea that life is
fleeting and one can embrace that and live for the moment, or one can get
bogged down with the futility of life. I always look for new ways to write
about my feelings about life and existence. This time I used the idea of super
powers or extra sensory abilities as a metaphor for my feelings about life. I
wanted to write a concept album where each song uses a super power as a way to
describe emotions.
2. The line
"I feel ephemeral tonight" seems to capture the essence of the song.
How does this concept of impermanence shape the rest of the album?
Yes, Invisible
Man is about not being able to leave a lasting mark on the world or society.
Telekinetic on the other hand is about empowering oneself to make the changes
they want in their lives. Time Traveller is about repeating the same mistake
over and over and knowing that you’ll probably do them again. I write a lot
about constant change, aging, death, fear and anxiety in my songs. This album
is no exception. The real core of my music is positive though, my usually
unspoken bottom line is that even though life is full of constant change and
impermanence doesn’t mean that you can’t embrace life and be yourself and have
enjoyment and even meaning. It’s like, yes this is true but what are you going
to do about it, curl up and die or scream at the sky and live fearlessly. I
struggle with this in my life and writing helps me get through it all.
3. You’ve
blended a danceable synth bass with somber lyrics in Invisible Man. What drew
you to this mix of upbeat rhythm and darker themes?
My lyrics usually
have 2 meanings and I felt that self realization can be a good thing. Knowing
that we can’t leave a lasting mark can be freeing. Don’t worry so much about
being the best at everything, just be you and live in the moment because
tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. The lyrics are the bleak truth as I see it and the
music is the uplifting possibilities that can come from those realizations.
4. Can you
share more about the upcoming remix of Invisible Man? How do you envision this
version expanding on the song’s themes?
Robert Inhuman
from Realicide Rex in Cincinnati did that remix for me and he’s a great
musician and artist. Check his stuff out, it’s very digital hardcore / electro
and I think he really brought some of those elements into the music. He made
the song even darker, grittier and changed it from a dance song to a call to
action. I think he wants to cause a riot with everything he makes, he wants
people to think and he’ll slap you with a heavy beat to get one to do that.
5. How has
Bloomington, Indiana, influenced the sound and aesthetic of Twice Dark?
Bloomington has
always been a place where new genres are embraced, alternative music is
accepted and expected there and that’s made it easier for me to make exactly
what I want to make and have an audience for it. I graduated from College in
Bloomington in 2005, I moved away and came back. It’s a peaceful place unlike
any other town in Indiana which is why I went back. There are great musicians
to collaborate with and people are really supportive of my music here.
6. Your music
draws from goth, industrial, EBM, and other genres. How do you approach
blending these different sounds to create the signature Twice Dark style?
Actually I’m
really leaning far more into Synth Pop and New Beat with Telekinetic and songs
I’m working on now. I go through different interests in dark alternative genres
over the years so each release has slightly different vibes (at least in my
mind that’s true). I really love Italo Disco as well which I think shines
through to some extent. To answer your question though, I generally have a few
bands in mind when I’m writing a song so I’ll listen to those bands and figure
out how they got the sound they got. I pick and choose different pieces that
resonate with me and collage them together to form a twice dark song. A pinch
of guitar from Sisters of Mercy, a little drums from Front 242, a little synth
from Depeche Mode and vocals from Pet Shop Boys.
7.
Post-punk.com described Twice Dark as “dipped in auditory shadows.” How do you
feel about this description?
I think that
quote comes from my 2nd release, Fault Line. I was very much into Goth Rock and
Darkwave for that release. I wrote about monsters and tried to make the songs
sound scary. I think that description is apt for a certain time for Twice Dark.
Also, it sounds awesome, it’s a great line “dipped in auditory shadows”. I
think Alice Teeple wrote that, she does great work.
8. Your
background in sculpture and art history is fascinating. How does your visual
arts experience influence your music?
I really started
as an illustrator, that’s what I was best at in terms of visual art. I loved
comic book art and I still do. Twice Dark pulls from the vibe of Sandman and
Preacher and many more dark comics. I love art nouveau and artists like HR
Giger. I love contemporary art, video, and performance art. I think the
darkwave scene sometimes lends itself to performance art and I think music is
another visual artform especially goth rock and dark music because of the
costumes, lighting, pathos / emotion and video. I think it would be hard for
visual art not to influence music.
9. What led
you to curate the Midwest Gothic compilation, and how was the experience of
celebrating it live in Indianapolis?
I created Midwest
Gothic as a way to help Twice Dark through the clout of all the other bands I
had on the comp. I felt that our combined fan bases and contacts in the
industry could come together and help us all and I think it did. We got a nice
review on Sounds & Shadows which wouldn’t have happened without Juan Blak’s
contribution. The show was amazing and well attended, which surprised me
because the bands on that comp usually opened for other bigger artists but this
time, everyone came to see us, which was a great feeling and a great
realization. We have fans of our own. Plus it was a great learning experience.
10.
Telekinetic promises to take listeners deeper into haunting sonic landscapes.
What can fans expect from this album compared to previous releases?
Telekinetic is
much more synth pop than previous releases. This album is far more influenced
by New Order whereas the older stuff was probably more informed by Joy
Division. Also, I think I grow in confidence and ability with each release. I
go with my instincts much more. I started singing for Twice Dark out of
necessity, I wasn’t the lead singer in many projects I was involved in so it
took a while for me to get confident with my singing ability. I think I still
have a ways to go but I think I’m much better than I was at the beginning, in
2020.
11. What’s
been the most challenging aspect of creating Telekinetic so far?
I always struggle
with the cover art. I want to make sure that the cover art truly represents all
the songs. In the past the art didn’t necessarily have anything to do with the
concepts in the lyrics but this time I want to make sure that it does. The most
challenging thing was realizing that I need to give up control once in a while
and ask for help.
12. Lastly,
where do you hope to take Twice Dark in the future? Any plans or dreams you’re
excited about?
I think the most exciting news I have to share is taht, I have a guitar player starting in the band, Kenny Dunn and he’s also going to help with backup vocals. He’s the co-founder of a company called Indy Independent Entertainment which helps unsigned artists of all kinds in Indiana. He’s a great guitar player and will make a great addition to Twice Dark. Kenny plays his first show with Twice Dark on Dec 14th at Dead Souls Gothic Lounge in Indianapolis. I’m also planning an East Coast tour for Spring of 2025 which I’m very excited about. Plus I’m already writing new music for an album to follow Telekinetic. Lot’s of great stuff in the works.
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