‘Sadness in the sentiment’ - Daniel Etherton
Of all the subjects tackled within songwriting across the musical ages, one specific topic always remains – the human connection. Never has this been more important than during the period of isolation many people have undergone since the beginning of 2020. Establishing and maintaining a connection has always been vital, but is it also good to know when to walk away? Daniel Etherton explores these emotions in his new single ‘Disappear’.
We’ve written about London-based singer/songwriter Daniel Etherton before. His debut single ‘Foundations’ was released in February, a positive track about how the people you surround yourself with can lift you up in dark times. Foundations went on to be played by BBC Radio Kent, Amazing Radio and Shoreditch Radio, as well as more localised stations and streaming playlists. More recently, Foundations was re-made by Daniel Etherton in collaboration with LDNfeatures and the Halo Strings.
‘Disappear’ is Daniel Etherton’s second single, and includes more intricate guitar work than his debut. This time, layers of clean electric guitar take precedent over acoustic, floating in a sea of reverb. Sustained bass notes, which could well be played on a bass guitar or via keyboard help to keep Disappear rooted in the listener’s attention. Closer too are the pizzicato strings, perhaps played on a keyboard, but gentle programmed drums sit alongside the guitar sound in reverb territory.
But of course, the most important part of Daniel Etherton’s music, is the voice of Etherton himself. I spoke before about how I can’t help but believe in what Daniel sings about, where carefully worded lyrics are imparted to the listener in exactly a way where you know he is telling the truth. This is true still for Disappear, where the first verse reads:
“You want me as your perfect outline, what if I’m never ready at the right time? Don’t you dare take it there, I’m scared you’re gonna rip me apart. I can’t bare when you stare, ‘cause I know you’re gonna rip me apart.”
It’s never enough to simply read the words, which many in relationships that have come to less than a desirable end can relate to. Etherton’s seemingly effortless delivery, which neither bombards you with excruciating pain nor is spoken in monotone whispers, maintains a level of soul that could be both easy to listen to, or cut deeper in less casual listening scenarios. I can only imagine Daniel Etherton’s attention-holding power to an intimate audience, especially with Disappear.
1. Your new single 'Disappear' is rooted in relationship discourse, were these emotions inspired by real events?
Yeah, all the tracks I write convey an imprint or experience either myself or someone close to me has gone through. A storyteller. Disappear focuses on the concept of severing a relationship - going your own way. It's even more relevant now as the majority of us in the world experienced a large part of last year on our own. Whether you've thrived, suffered, struggled or just simply coped. The sadness in the sentiment of 'breaking up' is evident in the song but there's also optimism for growth and moving on.
2. This track was produced remotely during lockdown, how did the recording situation work? Who else plays on this song?
I produced Disappear with my friend Andrew Chappell, owner of Plain Productions in West London. We recorded all instruments and vocals together in the studio.
3. The artwork for this single is beautiful, who put that together?
Thank you. I collaborated with Mariana Loewy, UK-based artist and Jaroslav Matas, Poland-based artist on the animation of it. We wanted something simple and refined which encapsulated the essence of the song.
4. If you could create a music video for this song, what would that look like?
Wait and see.
5. The re-recording of 'Foundations' with LDNfeatures and the Halo Strings is beautiful, how did that collaboration happen?
Thank you. I loved recording it remotely and working with all the amazingly talented musicians from LDNfeatures and Halo Strings. Sam (LDNfeatures) and I connected over Instagram out of pure luck, got along and decided to have some fun with Foundations. I can't wait to perform live with them all in the future. Make sure to check all of their socials out, too, each one of them is smashing it in their own field.
6. A lot of great music has already come out this year, what have you been listening to in 2021?
It really has and I definitely like to listen to as much music I can get involved with. New music on the scene by artists like Bonnie Kemplay, Willow Kayne, Kid Kapichi but also rotating personal favourites by Nick Mulvey, Ben Howard, Holly Humberstone, Foals, Daughter - the list could be endless.
7. I saw you've been getting up to some pottery on your Instagram account, how was that experience?
Yes! It was actually a birthday gift. First time I've ever managed to get my hands round some clay myself. We went to Token Studios in London Bridge. Definitely a great experience, creating something physical from little materials. I am actually going to pick up the flowerpot I made next week, now that it's been fired in the kiln.
8. We're halfway through the year, can fans look forward to more music being released in the coming months?
Definitely. There's plenty more music pipelined for release which I cannot wait to push out there for everyone to listen. Recently I have been writing a lot, with a dozen or so songs ready to go through productions. I like them all so much and have definitely pushed myself vocally, as well as artistically with a clear vision of the music I want to create and release. Every song has a bit people resonate with. It's all very expressive.
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Daniel Etherton’s music is available to download and stream in all the usual places.
For more information about Daniel Etherton, visit his official website.
Follow Daniel Etherton on Facebook and Twitter @d3therton and on Instagram @detherton.
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