INTERVIEW WITH ELECTRO-POP ARTIST + TV/FILM COMPOSER TYLER DURHAM OF LIMINA
Tyler Durham is a musician, songwriter, and film composer for TV, films, and games, and, under the artist name LIMINA, he flexes his songwriting and production muscles to craft catchy and dynamic electro-pop soundscapes. The latest track, Sanctum, is out now, with his newest single, Dissolved, set for a release on March 12. The album Coming Home is due for release next month, features both tracks, and centers around “exploring and creating a musical journey through anxiety, doubt, anger, hope, acceptance, and love”. In my interview with Tyler, we chat about his musical influences, composing for film/TV, the LIMINA album Coming Home, and much more.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Hey, Tyler! How are you doing, how’s your year been so far?
LIMINA: Hi Brittney, my year is going well - my work is picking up quite a bit, and I have some exciting projects coming down the pipeline
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How did you get your start composing for films? What was it in particular that drew you in?
LIMINA: I grew up in a musical family so I have always loved listening to and playing music.
However, my film-scoring passion developed in high school. My brother introduced me to the Eminence Symphony Orchestra which almost exclusively plays video game and film soundtracks, and I immediately became hooked. The layers of emotive expression, the powerful waves of sound, and the storytelling capabilities of orchestral writing inspired me to explore every bit of that language. I started pulling clips from films on YouTube to score and reaching out to anyone and everyone who had a project so I could learn how to tell stories through music. The challenge of finding the right musical language for a scene or a film has continued my passion into today.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Do you have a favorite film composer or a composer in general?
LIMINA: The answer is, “It depends.” =)
I love many composers for different reasons as they have their own unique writing styles. However, the composers I find myself studying or listening to the most are Camille Saint-Saen, Stravinsky, and Arvo Part. Regarding film composers, Johann Johansson and James Newton Howard are right at the top. I do spend a lot of time listening to music outside of the classical and film worlds as well. Sigur Ros and Son Lux are two of my favorite bands.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Can we talk about the current single “Sanctum” from your upcoming album, “Coming Home”. Now that it’s out how has the reaction been? How does this song fit into the album's sound and themes overall?
LIMINA: I’ve been so grateful for the initial response to “Sanctum.” I’ve received many sincere messages from people expressing that the track has elicited some peace in their day. It’s the best compliment I could receive because that’s what the track is all about.
"Sanctum" is a piece about self-reflection and unearthing a place in ourselves where doubt, love, joy, and anger are all welcome. A place where we can be consoled, seen, and restored.The layered voices and rolling piano in the opening act as a call into ourselves. Once we step through the door into our own "sanctum" an essence of spirituality emerges through the pump organ and pitch-shifted, deep bell accents. Just as we allow all of our emotions to pass through us, the musical phrasing has a conscious ebb and flow with strings that are both fragile and emotive. It’s the 9th track on the album so it comes towards the end of the story when the protagonist is beginning to derive her self-worth internally, not externally.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Since you started this album creation cycle back in 2020 during the pandemic. Where was your headspace going into this? And how do you think that time influenced the project, if at all?
LIMINA: My first E.P. Hidden Spaces was written at the height of the pandemic and in a time where it was difficult to find work, Hidden Spaces was a way to stay connected with my art and passion for creating. I started working on and off on Coming Home in 2022. As a film composer, my music is often commenting and supporting someone else’s story and while I absolutely love to collaborate in that way, “Coming Home” became a chance to create and explore a story of my own. The inspiration for the album emerged from spending time on the London Tube. You see so many people and only get the faintest glimpse of their experience through a laugh, a clenched fist, or just silent contemplation. All of this is accompanied by a loud, yet soothing hum and pulse from the train. I wondered about different experiences people might be silently confronting. I imagined a story of someone estranged from their family but wanting to make amends and what that emotional journey would look like. That simple idea became the bedrock of the album and allowed me to explore and create a journey through anxiety, doubt, anger, hope, acceptance, and love. “Coming Home” is ultimately a story about redemption and rediscovering oneself. Outside of the underlying narrative, I’ve always been drawn to neoclassical elements, electronics, unique and layered musical textures, and playing with form. “Coming Home” was created, in some way, to rediscover my own musical voice and challenge my creativity.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What has been the most unlikely influence on you for your LIMINA project and its forthcoming album, Coming Home?
LIMINA: I love exploring sound design so much of my influence comes from various sounds in the world or new synthesizers. For Coming Home, it was the London Tube system. I loved exploring different ways I could incorporate the setting of the story into the music itself. In “Let it Take You,” I built most of the percussion bed from the sounds of the Tube’s wheels rolling on the tracks.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How do you go about challenging yourself as a creative overall to stay fresh and the best you can be?
LIMINA: I’ve found the best way to stay fresh and excited about creating is by listening to new music and experimenting with my own. If I hear an interesting progression, orchestration technique, or complex synth sound, I will figure out how it was made. It’s so important to be constantly adding new tools to my sonic toolkit and every time I discover something new, my creative juices immediately start flowing.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?
LIMINA: How much I talk to myself while I am writing. =)
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Lastly, What’s up next for you?
LIMINA: Unfortunately, I can’t say too much, but I’m working on a great Netflix docuseries as well as a drama series. I'll be sharing all the details as soon as I can!
Pre-Order LIMINA’s forthcoming record by clicking on the photo below!
LIMINA SOCIAL MEDIA
OFFICIAL WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / BANDCAMP
MAGGIE LINDEMANN - “SABOTAGE” - SONG REVIEW
Maggie Lindemann is one of the fierce femmes from pop punk's newest evolution. Her latest is the introspective single Self Sabotage, a track steeping in angst and nostalgia. Lyrically, Lindemann goes through the inner workings of her mind and her bad habit of being her own worst enemy. The song is off her new album, SUCKERPUNCH. This album takes you on her emotional journey of healing from the toxicity of a bad relationship. I got to speak with her about this new project during a small presser. When I asked her what is one thing people are generally surprised to find out about you, Seeing how social media can be a veneer for many things, including people. Lindemann's response was quite like what many of us would say, that she is more than what she is perceived to be online. Sometimes all the versatility we have as humans get lost in the social media clutter. So for fans of Maggie's, her latest album, SUCKERPUNCH, is truly only the tip of the iceberg.
STREAM MAGGIE LINDEMANN’S NEW ALBUM SUCKERPUNCH HERE
CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS: GLASS ANIMALS AT HOLLYWOOD FOREVER
The new(ish) Indie Pop/Rock band are one the industry’s most exciting live music acts
Indie Rock quartet Glass Animals brought their groovy brand of heat to Hollywood Forever on Sunday with the ‘Dreamland’ tour. It’s a funky blend of nostalgic meets vaporwave that permeates the album but the shows as well. The tour featured the Electro Pop newcomer Binki as the opener. He played a short and engaging set closing out with “Heybb!”. A song you’ve most likely heard from its prominence of being in an Apple iPad commercial. While his energy was great, it was clear the crowd was there for Glass Animals (many didn’t arrive until they were on). The Indie Pop foursome comprised of childhood friends Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew Macfarlane is anchored by the feverishly bold lead singer, Dave Bayley. All walked out to a stunningly loud crowd full of cheers and energy that was ready to dance. Bayley who held a captive audience all night was also ready to party with us. He hovered somewhere between bewildered and emboldened, in awe of the crowd. Opening up the set with the futuristic lullaby “Dreamland”. Which segued into the tribal drum-heavy dance bop “Life Itself” & the island tinged “Tangerine” to kick off the party. Glass Animals tore through a 17 song setlist with such aplomb. Some of the major set highlights were the tour debut of “Poplar St.”. Where Dave Bayley forgot the lyrics (it had been a while) but powered through like a pro. “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”, which Dave remarked was a bit eerie playing in a cemetery. Their new track “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” is truly the ultimate dance party. They closed out their fun albeit spooky two-day residency at Hollywood Forever with a two-song encore. Of which included the bands’ breakout hit “Heatwaves” and the glitch-inspired “Tokyo Drifting”. Overall, Glass Animals displayed exciting musicianship. Their knack for writing super catchy lyrics with dynamic pop hooks, all transferred brilliantly into a live setting. You can check out my photo gallery of the show below.
THE DARKNESS // "HEART EXPLODES" - SINGLE REVIEW
English Rock band The Darkness drop new single "Heart Explodes". The song is off the bands' upcoming concept record Easter is Cancelled. The album is due out October 4th the band will tour the United States in 2020, and are currently opening up for Ed Sheeran in the UK for a string of dates.
“It’s about the despair of change. Having to reappraise your life and what you're holding on to. It’s like that feeling when you just want to go for a swim and keep going. Wanting to be enveloped by something that will gradually pull you down. If you really, really want to survive that process, you can. We've all been there - people who say they haven't are lying.”
- Justin Hawkins
"Heart Explodes" finds the band in excellent form, lead singer Justin Hawkins well known and often used falsetto is not overdone on the track. From the first hit of the drums that anchor the entire song, which seems to ride back and forth between ballad and mid-tempo rock number. The abundance of emotion is fully present with every guitar stroke and lyric sung. The Darkness has become known for their unique blend of opera rock this single isn't any different, as Folk-rock elements, even a banjo, can be heard well within the mix of instruments on the song. It's a tune essentially about being caught between the apathy and wanting to change. Something that is often told but on "Heart Explodes", The Darkness dig into what they are good at to find a novel approach to this subject matter.
You watch the lyric video for "Heart Explodes" below...
Until then
Brittney x
