Night Nail has once again caught the imagination of their audience with their most profound and audacious sound yet. Featuring the distinct talents of Pete Burns of Kill Shelter, Valentina Veil from VV & the Void, and Cylian Wednesday—with the captivating “Narcoleptic Dream Catcher” video and single edited and captured by Jean De Oliveira—this offering via Metropolis Records is the brainchild of Brandon Robert in Berlin, and Pete Burns of Kill Shelter in Scotland.
In “Narcoleptic Dream Catcher,” the exploration of the treachery latent in our modern virtual obsessions takes centre stage. Brandon’s resonant bass timbre croon juxtaposes beautifully with an ethereal falsetto, as he delves into raw introspection and confronts internal demons. The song elucidates a world increasingly entrapped in the digital, as genuine sincerity declines. From the Self, to the allure of others; from intoxicating substances, to the siren call of social media; from the intoxication of success, to the paradox of his very relationship with music, Brandon Robert paints all forms of addiction as both a malevolent force and a potential salve. In the world of the narcoleptic dream catcher, the toxin is simultaneously the antidote; the quandary its own solution.
What truly stands out is the visual complement to this musical venture. Filmed across Germany and the UK, a compelling video materialized, wherein Brandon and Pete, seemingly in the same space, perform in harmony. This lovely black and white photo-stopmotion illusion, crafted by the skilled Jean De Oliveira, skillfully blends two separate recordings into a cohesive cinematic piece.
Watch the video below:
In 2018, Brandon Robert left the sun-kissed boulevards of Los Angeles for Berlin, driven by a thirst to enrich his musical horizons. Settled amid the city’s creative pulse, he and his band unveiled “LA Demons“—their inaugural album. Brandon Robert also graced the stage with illustrious darkwave counterparts like Twin Tribes and Traitrs, while also marking a presence at renowned festivals such as Autumn Moon and Wave Gotik Treffen.
Life, in the meanwhile, offered its own melodies. Alongside Valentina Veil, the brilliant force behind VV & the Void and his closest collaborator, the couple embraced parenthood, adding depth to his personal and artistic narrative.
As anticipation for his third album, “Fates Explained,” grew, Brandon Robert enlisted the expertise of Pete Burns of Kill Shelter. Burns, a recognized name in the industry, brought his touch in mixing, co-producing, mastering, and even playing additional instruments. To further refine the sound, contributions from Ilija Gavrilenko and Justin Deactivere were integrated.
Pre-order the album here.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic strains of early-Cure, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, and a litany of revered bands like The Chameleons and Wire, Brandon Robert’s soundscape is richly textured. Yet, his influences don’t stop at these landmarks. Delving deeper into the avant-garde, he embraces the less-charted territories of art music, finding resonance with acts like Minimal Man and Krisma. For Robert, it’s not merely a matter of synthesis; he ventures beyond the confines of his musical history and the defined perimeters of post-punk. He crafts an auditory universe that defies categorization, presenting music in its purest form—eternal and unburdened by definitions.
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