Photo by Corinne Schiavone
As they gear up for their impending European tour, Drab Majesty has unveiled a video for Cape Perpetua from their latest EP, An Object in Motion, available through Dais Records.
This recent release signifies a riveting new era for Drab Majesty. During a 2021 sojourn to the secluded town of Yachats in coastal Oregon, Deb Demure found inspiration in the distinct tones of a bowl-shaped 12-string Ovation acoustic/electric guitar, adding a neo-psychedelic touch. Immersed in the natural surroundings, mornings were spent hiking through rain, while afternoons saw Deb engrossed in ambient guitar sessions, embracing intuitive musical explorations.
Cape Perpetua, one of the two instrumental pieces on the EP, exemplifies the album’s eclectic range. It offers glistening acoustic strums, harmoniously bent by delay, blending hints of raga with daydream. As melodies ebb and flow, the song finds itself poised between rustic American artistry, introspective neo-folk, and a bucolic sense of sorrow. Infusing baroque and classical touches, the piece unfurls into grand, gothic narratives, distinguishing itself from the ordinary.
The track’s visual companion, captured on Super 8 film, enhances its dreamlike, psychedelic essence, adding a nostalgic dimension that warps time.
Cape Perpetua is a slow-rolling track with tessellating psychedelia which inspired me to channel my Joseph Cornell and late-era Brakhage appreciation,” says director John Elliott (Emeralds, Imaginary Softwoods). “The goal was to capture simple objects moving in and out of stillness reflecting the ebb and flow of the widescreen guitar patterns. Upon discovering a partially dilapidated cemetery near my house, I found spinning pinwheels askew in the ground and late blooming flowers laced with synthetic flowers, all against a backdrop of partly cloudy skies and autumnal foliage. We explored this simple and profound surrealism by performing in-camera lap-dissolves and double exposures in an attempt to marry the ethereal magic of the song with the film we shot. The simplistic nature of Super 8 camera lenses paired with the imperfect nature of Super 8mm film creates a window into a world that feels like a distant cluster of memories, or a dream-like state complete with blurred edges and extemporaneous world-building.”
In the heart of Los Angeles, Andrew Clinco unveiled his mesmerizing musical brainchild, Drab Majesty, in 2011. Best recognized for commanding the drum set in the band Marriages, Clinco immersed himself into this endeavor, assuming the genderfluid role of Deb Demure. As the project took shape, Mona D (born Alex Nicolaou), a gifted keyboardist and vocalist, joined the group in 2016, introducing an extra layer of complexity to their sound.
Since partnering with Dais Records, Drab Majesty has spawned three thought-provoking albums: their hauntingly beautiful debut, Careless (2015), the introspective journey of The Demonstration (2017), and the evocative Modern Mirror (2019).
An Object In Motion was written during a 2021 retreat to the remote coastal Oregon town of Yachats, where Deb Demure leaned into the neo-psychedelic resonance of a uniquely bowl-shaped 12-string Ovation acoustic/electric guitar. After early morning hikes in the rain, Deb would record ambient guitar experiments the rest of the day, tapping into “flow states,” letting the sound lead the way. These sessions were then refined or recreated, and later elevated further with key collaborations by Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Justin Meldal-Johnson (Beck, M83, Air), and Ben Greenberg (Uniform, Circular Ruin Studio).
An Object In Motion is true to its title, capturing the chrysalis moment of an artist evolving, reborn and untethered, silhouetted against an open horizon. It presents a showcase of potential futures from Drab’s evolving domain, their sound poised to bloom at the precipice of transformation.
Order the EP here
Drab Majesty is on tour in Europe, and will make an appearance at the Darker Waves Festival in Southern California. They’ll be sharing the stage with acclaimed bands like New Order and Tears for Fears, among others — the complete itinerary can be found below.
Tour dates:
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