Love is a Nightmare — LA-Based Artist DRÄGER Recounts a Dark Romance in “Succubus”

Amidst the shifting spectrum of our contemporary malaise emerges Dräger, the creative embodiment of multi-faceted artist Spencer Draeger. Meandering through the resonance of days gone by while foretelling stories of the morrow, Dräger’s influence pulsates with the soulful rhythms of a generation steeped in contemplative musing and melancholic reflection. This is the first of two All Hallows offerings from Dräger.

In ancient and medieval mythology, the Succubus is depicted as a beguiling female demon or supernatural entity that visits men during their slumbers to engage in intimate relations, often with the aim of draining their life force or vitality. These nocturnal visitations sometimes result in the birth of demonic offspring. Originating from European folklore, the legend of the Succubus has been intertwined with fears of the unknown, nocturnal temptations, and unexplained pregnancies. They often symbolize seduction and the perils of unchecked desires. Their male counterparts, the Incubi, operate in a similar fashion, preying on unsuspecting women as they sleep. The tales surrounding these entities serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of unchecked lust and the supernatural consequences of yielding to temptation.

Dräger is no stranger to the dangers of a succubus in his personal life, and following this particular relationship’s dramatic demise, he took charge of his own recovery by finding solace in songwriting. Succubus sounds like a long-lost INXS track, with shades of the most anthemic Depeche Mode songs bleeding through. Where is the line drawn between love’s genuine embrace and the clutches of addiction? The composition grapples with this quandary, suggesting that these two states cannot coexist peacefully when one party malevolently thrives on such devotion, neglecting to return that boundless affection. If one plays the fool too much, it can even be deadly.

“Like in some kind of Shakespearean nightmare, I was deeply in love with someone draining the essence of who I was and despite all logic that person was the only one I wanted,” he recalls. “Tragically, unconditional love came at the expense of my physical and mental well-being, even though my feelings and love for her never changed. I actually had a friend visit me in Brooklyn from LA while on tour that I hadn’t seen in a while and he called me up after he returned home and was worried how I had changed. He said I looked like a shell of myself that he didn’t recognize and that I needed to make a change in relationship. The theme of my coming album, Delusions of Grandeur, is rooted in this sense of wanting the things that will break you. For me a lot of it was just the one woman I loved. My sweet succubus.”

Be careful out there.

Drawing inspiration from the audacious ethos of punk, the dream-infused rhythms of 80’s synthpop, and the hallucinogenic embrace of the 90s, we eagerly anticipate Dräger’s sophomore album, Delusions of Grandeur, slated for a 2024 release. The album is set to deftly navigate profound themes of technology, romance, and a society teetering on the brink of a complex narrative, delicately balancing wit with a hint of cynicism. Channelling the essence of Crystal Castles, Ladytron, and Chromatics, the album stands as an inviting beacon in the realm of synthpop brilliance.

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