‘New EP’ is where a band or artist answers some questions about their latest release. Up next is Danica Bryant, who has just released a new E.P Ego Death.
When/where was the new EP recorded?
The whole ‘Ego Death’ EP was recorded under the NZ On Air producer-artist development fund at my producer Jonny Avery’s home studio. We were just in one little room day in day out. It felt very magical to basically operate in this tiny space where the music was all that really mattered.
Who produced/engineered the EP? How did the tracks come together in the studio, or at home?
Jonny Avery, who I’ve been working with for the past couple of years, mixed and produced the whole EP, then it was mastered by Luke Finlay from Primal Mastering in Auckland. The tracks mostly came together purely in the studio, where Jonny and I would block out each day, and I’d turn up in the morning with some thematic idea or random lyrics jotted in my phone, that he’d help expand into instrumental ideas and we’d go from there. It was a very collaborative process and quite a moving experience for me, expressing my feelings honestly and working my ideas into something meaningful together.
Did the shorter format of an EP give you the option to experiment in any way with your sound or with different forms of song-writing?
I’m a firm believer in giving artistic projects strong, cohesive themes and visuals, to tie all the content in and justify why it belongs together. But working with a shorter EP format means there’s less space to do that in. It’s more of a challenge to make a collection rather than a group of random songs, but also there are definitely less boundaries to stick to, so it was great for experimenting with sound and lyrics, and figuring out what the common elements were once the songs were complete.
Was there any specific gear you used to capture that?
There are more prominent synths and digital instruments across the board on this EP. It’s very computerised, versus the Cider EP which is basically just live performances with minor details added in post-production. I think those elements take the overall sound into far more polished pop territory, which is exciting.
Is there a particular track or theme that the EP was formed around?
The opening track Pipe Dream and the closing track Hang On Over are thematic responses to each other which purposefully contain the whole EP. Those songs are about finding the boundaries between my identity as an artist, and my personal, private identity. ‘Ego Death’ essentially starts in this place of uncertainty of if I can even achieve my musical dreams as the person I am. Then the following songs take you on a journey to the last song’s conclusion that my dreams and who I am might not exist in the way I thought at all. Which sounds quite pretentious! But I think listening to the music makes that identity exploration and literal ego death very clear.
Where do you see the EPs place in growing an audience online? Do you see it as a progression towards an album or a separate entity?
It’s hard to predict what I’ll make after ‘Ego Death’ because I’d love to make an album, but my only real constraints are the boring human stuff, like money and time. I definitely see the EP as a marker of my growth as a musician. Hopefully its quality as its own entity will grow my audience so it can be a stepping stone to bigger future projects.
Which digital platforms is it available on?
Spotify, YouTube, Apple, Bandcamp, if you can listen to music on it, it’s there! Here’s a link to some of the available services.
Are you doing any gigs or promotion for its release?
Thanks to partial funding from the NZ Music Commission, I’m heading out with my band on our first ever national tour! We’re playing Valhalla in Welly on August 31st, then hitting up Palmerston North, Napier, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch. I’m so stoked to adapt these very digital songs to a live environment and surprise people with how dramatic and rowdy my shows can be.
