PREMIERE & INTERVIEW: DALE ‘DALE EP’
Inspired by Dale’s life story as a firefighter, book publisher, and artist, the self-titled EP Dale follows in his footsteps, diving deep into the struggle with conventional expectations and one’s own salvation in the creative realm. Side A acknowledges pain from a “privileged, ordinary life” with five songs -- playing by social rules and fulfilling one’s obligation but feeling dead inside. Side B, on the contrary, finds freedom and happiness in self-expression and creativity.
“Side B is where all my daftness goes. I have a job that requires me to be quite serious from time to time, and side B was my place to ignore that completely. Side B is the polar opposite of side A. Side B is side A’s weird pal,” said Dale.
Side B opens with a short fiction written and narrated by Dale. “The Tallest Tree In The World” took a step further into the creative realm from the traditional audiobook, including DIY sound effects and mild scores. Revolving around an American veteran, Susie Jackson, a pilot held hostage by the opponent in the Vietnam war; she witnessed her fellow countrymen slaughtered every life form. She was offered two options when she threatened to go public: telling the truth that no one will believe and being treated as a traitor and a liar or returning home as an American hero. Susie chose the last and became an adventurer to climb the world’s tallest tree.
‘The Tallest Tree in the World” has a sarcastic underlying meaning one should savor in reflection. "Climbing the tree represents the struggles and sacrifice you have to make to achieve your ambition,” said Dale, “and we found out how she found herself there.”
Dale has always been fond of creating sounds and field recordings. The lockdown in 2020 has offered him a time to dive deeper into his passion. Inspired by the book publisher side of him, Dale EP has a unique sound environment and storytelling, adapting elements from film, theatre, literature, and other creative fields with full liberty. Personality over polish, creativity over format would be the perfect words to sum up, Dale.
“I used my phone to record everything ‘non-musical.’ Growing up; I always wanted to be a foley artist, so I really loved finding or recording my own sound effects – particularly in the beach song,” said Dale, “I really threw myself into making the story sound interesting. I asked a bunch of my friends to voice characters throughout the story. I feel that the creative process can be a bit lonely at times, and I love including people in my work – this was a natural and fun way to do that.”
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