It’s been two months since Darling Darling released his debut single ‘Paint It Sister’ which picked up a flurry of support from BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio, So Young Magazine and ICM.
Matt Bisgrove – the man behind the Southampton artist – has got off to a great start with his style of 60s psych and there’s plenty more in the locker. ‘Paint It Sister’ is a menacing song with haunting orchestral sounds setting the scene nicely for your mind to go off into the abliss.
Speaking about how the song has been received, Matt said: “I feel in essence it’s been extremely kind, especially considering it’s nowhere close to my best song.
“It’s lovely to step out from amongst the shadows to give this piece of music to the world and gauge what people truly think. Having such kind early responses even from people who aren’t your closest friends is more than you can ask for at this stage really.
“It’s brilliant to know people really are buying into it.”
A perfect blend of darkness with a bouncy and catchy melody – what more could you want really?
Matt Bisgrove, Darling Darling
‘Paint It Sister’ is all about a set of nightmares that show you where your true desire truly lies. It stripps away delusions of grandeur where there’s no light to shine in the darkness.
“It also relies on this incredibly omnipresent beauty that only appears in the nighttime,” explains Matt. “Everything tastes different in the night time – love, anxiety, memories, hopes, dreams and regrets; if it sounds pretentious that’s because it likely is.
“Under that pretense lies the truth of how we all as humans exist under this strange delusion of grandeur that we’re equally or sometimes more important than those around us.
“The whole idea that we look up to idols – who are no more superhuman than us – for guidance and inspiration is strange. But then again, where else are we going to look? It’s a double-edged sword that we both live and die by.”
The construction of ‘Paint It Sister’, Matt uses an incredible amount of layers to build up the song. From orchestral organs to vocal effects there seems to be a lot going on behind the scenes, but when the production comes together, it all works in perfect harmony as Matt explains further.
“I think that the layers all represent something in themselves, but all sit perfectly as they are. It’s not entirely something we (myself and my very talented producers Brad Dorey and Ben Ysselmuiden) thought of, but I feel it came together just right. A perfect blend of darkness with a bouncy and catchy melody – what more could you want really?”
Exactly, I don’t think there is! Going deeper into Matt’s influences and what makes Darling Darling tick, it goes back to the 60s roots of r&b and pop music.
“That’s a great question actually, anything and everything that has an earnest side to it can count itself as an inspiration. I do look to Scott Walker, Bowie, French crooners and the like for some guidance, but I’m equally inspired by pop, 60s r&b and eerie haunting things to make this particular track work.
“That’s the whole point of Darling Darling really – to just exist and create how I consume; with an open mind and ears. I like taking the pain from one song and applying maybe I don’t know the bells and whistles from another, with production from this and that to make it make sense to me.”
Since a young age, Matt has a always wanted the freedom to express his own views and show off his artistic skills. With this musical project he can do just that whilst combining his passion of “golden-age” television and books.
Matt commented: “I’ve always been better at writing poetry on my phone than expressing how I feel vocally face-to-face. It’s very much like don’t ask just watch, see and listen. I used to very much be into this whole vague undertones with expression, now I’m very much in the camp of if you listen to my songs and can’t hear what I’m saying or feeling then you’re not listening hard enough.
“I’m also very into Raymond Chandler’s crime whodunnit noir books at the moment. I also love to ready coming-of-age novels and stuff about pained protagonists who come to terms with who they are to exist. I’m also quite the avid football fan and support Ipswich Town. So when that isn’t depressing me that’s not a bad thing to follow.”
Looking ahead for Darling Darling, the rest of 2021 could be the time live music gets back to some normality. Get back into the music venues and just have a wicked time again.
Excited on what’s to come, Matt added: “Oh man, who don’t I want to see. That new black midi record has got me pumped to see them. Lorde is back too if you haven’t heard. I’m so excited for Primavera next year and for the Strokes, Pavement and Faye Webster amongst so many more.
“Alexandra Savior in the spring, Jack Garratt whenever he decides to tour fully; so many. On a grassroots level Do Nothing, Coach Party, Georgia Turnbull and my very dear friend Defcon Lawless who has just released some new music alongside rock titans Band of Skulls.”
On a personal level there’s new music and shows in the pipeline as Darling Darling can get its name pushed further. I’m told the next single is “primed and ready” for the end of summer as well as Matt’s debut show at Heartbreakers September 10 and a debut live London performance.
