Damian Wilde

To me, everything about Damian Wilde appears to be interesting–from his upbringing, to his locale, to his surprising taste in music. This includes his own music as well. His newest EP, entitled Nouveau Noir, is hard to pin down genre-wise. It could appeal to fans of R&B, indie rock, and ambient trip-hop. Basically, if you’re a fan of chill, minimalist vibes then Nouveau Noir should be accessible for you.

Wilde recently took the time to speak with us about how his childhood and inherent personality led to the way he creates along with some info about his newest effort and what he has in store for this project from here on out. Read through the jump and get acquainted with Damian Wilde, a genuine soul with a unique output that should certainly aid in the progression of his musical career.

You had a pretty interesting upbringing as far as where you were raised. How much of that influences the way you write and the themes that go into your music?

I think there are always a range of factors that contribute to one’s music, and since ‘abnormal’ was always ‘normal’ for me, it’s difficult to tell exactly which aspects beared more weight but I certainly think that the combination of growing up with many people who had various mental ailments and the fact that my mom kept me quite isolated from the rough neighbourhood I grew up in certainly led to me becoming quite introspective and I think most of my music circulates either around my thoughts (e.g. “The Umbrella Co.”) or what it would be like to be in someone else’s mind that people can’t really understand such as “Green Mile.” I guess I started writing to make sense of things around me as I was growing up–almost as a type of coping mechanism–which is always quite liberating when you have someone to talk to, even if that someone is just a pen and a pad.

Before this particular project took flight, were you involved with any other musical endeavors?

I was involved with a band called The Red Underground which was a fantastic learning experience for me as a young artist. I learned about intangibles such as how to create a sound and what it’s like a few minutes before a show, as well as recording etc., as well as some other more practical aspects such as touring and band admin. I worked with some really amazing musicians in Remi and Fabien Guiot and they taught me so much about music, especially less mainstream music. Before that, I dabbled in some demo recordings with a close friend of mine called Don QP who I would say was a guiding influence when I wasn’t sure how to get into music although I knew I wanted to. Before that, really just did some choir in high school, and prior to that I was mainly focused with poetry.

Are there any artists in particular that you feel guided your sound to what it’s become today?

I think there are so many that I couldn’t possibly name them all but there always seemed to be an artist that marked my development at a particular stage. For example very early on I loved Eminem because I felt he was an outsider like me and I loved his personal almost diary-like style of writing, then came my adolescence with Korn and System of a Down which was a great stage of rebellion and a real feeling of acceptance in rebellion. I then got into Marilyn Manson which was a major step for me as I now had someone who I could relate to and who said it was cool to be an outsider and fuck being normal, which I guess kind of stuck with me along with the previous artists. Later on I discovered Radiohead, Nina Simone, Nirvana and Portishead which all where major influences on my personal, and consequently, musical development.

What elements (or lack of elements) would you say makes your music minimalist? Is there anything you focus on specifically when writing to draw attention to certain aspects of your sound?

[Laughs] ‘lack of elements,’ I like that. I would say that I prefer to use less instruments because there came a time when I was listening to some heavily over-produced music and I thought, “wouldn’t it be nice if a song just had a piano/guitar and a drum? So people could sit back and say ‘oh yeah, I forgot what drums sound like” or “I forgot how deep and interesting an instrument like a piano can be.” For me the minimal sound is really about the rediscovery of simplicity in music and more importantly just enjoying those instruments for what they are instead of them just being a part of 6 or 10 other instruments in a song. I think more minimal music allows one the platform to think more and say more because you’re not competing with all this music. It’s kind of like the music creates a canvas for one’s thoughts. I do always try and blend something more acoustic with something more electronic so that the music is almost like a book in a collection that you didn’t know you needed but you enjoy reading it anyway.

I feel that your new EP should appeal to a vast array of music fans as it spans many areas of indie, experimental, pop, and R&B, not to mention the moods it explores. Do you have a demographic in mind when writing and recording or is that completely non-existent in that zone?

I don’t necessarily have a specific demographic in mind. I guess my music is primarily made for people who are a bit strange like or me or some type of outsiders. I think a lot of the material deals with what it’s like, the good and the bad. I do think there are plenty of strange people in various sections of life and therefore I hope the music speaks to these various people. Of course other people enjoying it is a welcomed bonus.

How do you feel the EP’s title relates to the material on it?

‘Nouveau Noir’ directly translates to ‘New Black’ and given the general atmosphere of the project being reflective of the greater part of me as an artist, I felt the ‘New Black’ was very appropriate as I try and make the sound unique to myself but I am trying to capture a feeling and concept that has been around since the dawn of humanity. Black also refers to the type of person I am and I assume most of my friends would be kind of ‘Black Sheep’ in a way.

And what can you tell me about the album art? It’s about as simple as it gets but I sense a deeper meaning…

The album art is really just a commentary on an idea that I have had and learned from various other artists. The idea is that you never truly create something new as an artist. As an artist your work is always a formulation of various factors that have existed both within and outside of music. So I feel that my project–although it may seem different–is just a reformulation of various music such as trip-hop, grunge, hip-hop, indie rock, etc. and I have taken various aspects from those genres and reformulated them into what I do now. Therefore, the small black square which represents my music seems unique within the white frame but it’s actually the same as the larger black square that houses it, just slightly different. So the artwork is really just a way of saying everything new is just a different way of putting old ingredients together, in a continuous cycle.

You’ve always been a self-taught musician it seems. Did you do all the instrumentation on this album? Who else did you have working on the production with you in the studio?

Yes, I did all the instrumentation and I worked with an engineer called Winston Moses who oversaw the recording of the project. Otherwise I produced and composed all the rest.

It’s been over 6 months since you released the video for “The Umbrella Co.” How did the ideas for that come together and where were the parts filmed at?

I wrote the script for “The Umbrella Co.” shortly after I wrote the song. The ideas for the video were to firstly portray the feel of the song as well as the rest of the music on the project with the black and white and the stories are pretty straightforward I believe. The scene in the bar just represents the way many people–especially men–actually feel when trying to get the attention of a woman they are attracted to. The scene in the kitchen where I eat the electronics portrays how in today’s society we use things such as social media and our cellphones and various other pieces of technology to try and fill the void that is left by the isolation of society. These things help us feel full and complete, like we matter, and the scene portrayed the actual brutality of that process of trying to overcome insecurity. The final scene portrays two souls who are separate and have their own clouds (burdens) to draw but when they come together they can help each other and destroy the things they have come to rely on to survive and really connect. When they come together and share an umbrella. Their relationship doesn’t mean that the rain stops, it just means that when you can rely on someone else, you have someone to wait out the storm with.

Any plans for another video from the EP?

Yes, the next video should be released very soon–next month, and it is the video for “Tempestuous.” I’m very excited about it.

What’s the music scene like in Cape Town? Do you have the opportunities to really branch out there?

The alternative music scene is quite small although there are many talented artists in Cape Town and it’s a great place to start in music because the city is small and most people know each other who are connected to music. It’s a great place to live and the diversity of the city certainly adds to various musical and overall artistic flavours. I don’t feel that it is the right city for the progression and expansion of my particular music at the moment and for that reason I plan to move to Berlin next month which is quite exciting to move to such a fresh, vibrant and relevant music scene in our generation.

Do you have any touring plans in the works for the remainder of the year? New area means new venues and potential fans.

I am planning a few European dates towards the end of the year and hopefully some southern Europe and UK dates, too. I will have more information on these dates very soon, but the short answer is yes, I certainly plan to try and tour as extensively as possible before the end of the year, mainly in Western Europe.

So what’s next for you as far as material? Are you already working on your next effort?

I am working on my next project and we are about ready to go into recording, I hope for it to be out this fall (September/October). My new project is quite different; I feel it shows other aspects of my music and I will be releasing information such as the title, artwork and lead single very soon. If you join my mailing list on my website or follow me on Twitter/Facebook, all the updates and previews will be on there. Also, if listeners have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them. - Under The Gun Review

Damian Wilde’s Nouveau Noir EP has ambition with a deep, dark twist of hopes for fame and fortune.

Damian Wilde has a unique voice, but what really drives the album is the lyrical flow of the story through each track. The music itself is very basic and minimal with continuing piano progressions and basic drum beats, and Wilde’s voice remains passionate yet slighted by the idea of not sounding perfect.Screen Shot 2014-06-24 at 7.53.31 PM

Nouveau Noir is a brief five-track EP that proclaims Wilde’s need for acceptance that all can relate to, and to an extent he has definitely earned the recognition. If he’s not there, he could be quite soon.

Tracks like “The Umbrella Co.” and “Tempestuous” have a resemblance to the like of The Weeknd and a darker and much slower Ben Folds. It is apparent that these two artists in comparison are on two separate ends of the spectrum, but Wilde has the ability to bring them closer together with these tracks. Both tracks have powerful lyrics that relate to a more modern audience.

In “Tempestuous,” Wilde sings, “I love the law but I, hate the cops,” which sounds like an effort to show his street cred. The track also takes you to a deeper area of his music, however, and sends you away from the rest of the world. While listening to these tracks, there is a sense of distance that is created from all surroundings, which might make it difficult for full relation. Wilde seems to ramble on, though he is singing about meaningful things that are important in today’s society.

Screen Shot 2014-06-24 at 7.53.21 PM Of the five tracks on this album, “The Umbrella Co.” is the strongest. It is also the only one that is posted on Spotify at this time, so if you are going to give a listen to any of them, that is the track to listen to. It has poignant lyrics and a catchy melody on the piano. It is also Wilde’s best singing throughout the entire album because of his erie presence. He sings, “I wanna be famous. I want lots of money. I wanna be charming, make sure you think I’m funny.” There is clearly a sense of need for acceptance in Wilde’s music and lyrics, but he does show that he has the ability to be a successful songwriter.

When it comes to categorizing any of the tracks from this EP, it’d definitely make some sense putting them on to a more hip coffeeshop or record store. The last track Alive is a send-off that switches from a piano like the others to an acoustic guitar. The similar riff, however, brings a remembrance of a time of teenage angst.

If you watch Wilde’s music video – which has had over 10,000 views on YouTube already – you will see a lot of people smoking cigarettes in a dark piano bar-eque night club, which hits the nail on the head perfectly. Wilde’s sound brings about a non-overdriven sound of depth and is like running through shadows or spending your day in bed all gloomy with a lit cigarette in hand. There is no need to feel sorry for Wilde though, even though his EP might express that you should feel that way. He has the potential to take his sound farther, so give it a listen if you really feel like saying “Fuck the world” today. - In Music Today

Cape Town artist Damian Wilde has dropped his debut Nouveau Noir EP, which he describes as abstract and minimalist. After writing and performing in psy-hop band The Red Underground for two years, Wilde left to pursue a solo career.

Wilde grew up in a home in which his nurse mother took care of schizophrenic and manic-depressive people. Through this experience, he learned about the harsh realities and messed up states of being human. His music is an outlet in which he can reflect and make sense of his feelings on humanity.

You can download Nouveau Noir for free via Damian's official website. - DJZ

Check out the music video above, as well as the new EP release Nouveau Noir below from Cape Town downbeat/alternative R&B artist Damian Wilde, who was raised in a home filled with schizophrenics and manic-depressives whom his mother cared for. “My mother was a nurse at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital and she used to care for those who were on their way back to the ‘real world’ and had trouble adjusting. They became my carers and my friends” says Damian.

His sound is is “abstract and minimalist.” Fans of The Weeknd, TV On The Radio and Portishead should enjoy. After two years of writing and performing as part of the pSy-hOp band The Red Underground, he decided to work on a solo project. He uses music, like most of us, to make sense of his feelings and reflect on what he describes as the “fucked up” state of being human.

“My heart, it feels tainted and black. There are a lot of things that are wrong inside”, he says. “When I make a record I try and scrape off pieces of it, smear it on a record and send it out there.” He started writing poetry at 10, music became his outlet at 16 and by 19 he was in a band. Now at 21 he continues to develop his ability to articulate his emotions and reflect on his challenges through music.

Stream his new album below and watch the music video for the first single from his debut EP above. - Ground Sounds

If you are too young to have caught Mtv’s show 120 Minutes , you might have missed out on a time when alternative rock when it was still an alternative rather than the mainstream. The ironic hipsters of Indie rock now holds that place. They either seem to be dancing or making garage hippy music , though a few have spurned a trend to move in a darker
One example of this trend coming from a different direction than the often blatant Joy Division worship lies in the opening moments of Cape Town’s Damian Wilde ,released an album “Nouveau Noir” that drips with a dreary desperation right from the onset of the album. The down trodden beat to ignites “the Umbrella Co. ” this video is featured in the below and displays enough mope here to make fans of darkwave and post- punk happy without using the big G word here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjT4yLoXYME
The album as a whole is strong with some electronic elements and guitar that fills in the gaps around his melody in such a way that I don’t consider his approach minimalist. There is not an empty sound to these songs. Arrangements ebb and flow, like a more depressive take on the same sort of pop guys like Gotye create.
From the creepy “Green Mile” whose lyrics sound like the might be telling the story of a serial killer to the the darker croon on “Disco Shit” . This is not a dance around the bat cave despite the choice of synth sounds and the vocal effects as there remains a pop smart sense of hooks in the vocal arrangements.
“Alive” finds Wilde dropping down into subdued whisper, building into a chorus that is more Love and Rockets to me than anything indie rock by today’s standards. This is not part of the goth revival, but it does have a depressed darkness to it fans of such will find resonating with them. I am interested in seeing what direction Wilde would go on a full length.
This entry was posted in Alternativve by Wil Cifer.
- See more at: http://soletron.com/the-next-big-thing-damian-wilde/#sthash.Wb2OJR1p.dpuf - Soletron

The show 120 Minutes that once aired on Mtv, displayed alternative rock when it was still an alternative rather than the mainstream. Indie rock now holds that place as people think of Creed as being alternative these days. So I am pleased by the trend in Indie rock moving in a darker direction is getting darker to counter balance the rest of the hippy tinged jangle coming from college radio. opening moments of Cape Town's Damian Wilde ,released an album "Nouveau Noir" that drips with a dreary desperation right from the onset of the album. The down trodden beat to ignites "the Umbrella Co. " song whose video is featured below . There is enough mope here to make fans of darkwave and post- punk happy without using the big G word here.



The rest of the album is strong with some electronic elements and guitar that fills in the gaps around his melody in such a way that I don't consider his approach minimalist. There is not an empty sound to these songs. Sure the arrangements might ebb and flow, but this is more like a more depressive take on the same sort of pop guys like Gotye create.



From the creepy "Green Mile" whose lyrics sound like the might be telling the story of a serial killer to the the darker croon on "Disco Shit" . This is not a dance around the bat cave despite the choice of synth sounds and the vocal effects as there remains a pop smart sense of hooks in the vocal arrangements.



"Alive" finds Wilde dropping down into subdued whisper, building into a chorus that is more Love and Rockets to me than anything indie rock by today's standards. This is not part of the goth revival, but it does have a depressed darkness to it fans of such will find resonating with them. I am interested in seeing what direction Wilde would go on a full length. - Hiplanta

An individual's sense of aesthetic appreciation and taste, it may come as no real surprise, is often rooted in personal temperament. Whilst some people may tend to find a pleasing sense of comfort in music fundamentally rooted in downbeat and downtrodden moods, reflecting, if not also complimenting, a sense of inner malaise, sanguine personality types are more prone to view anything approaching darkness and shade as a 'depressing' downer - a form of noise pollution solely devised to upset their emotional balance. Similarly, those belonging to the former camp tend to view overly upbeat music as shallow and condescending. As someone who typically tends to feel comfort in sadness, I find that, by attempting to cheer myself up with in-yer-face tunes of joy and happiness, I only ever end up feeling as if I've been plumped on some relentless, spinning carousel, unable to register anything besides a blurred vivacity of colour and sound, seemingly for a small eternity. Accordingly, a sense of comforting sadness is precisely what newly emergent talent Damian Wilde offers with his debut EP, Nouveau Noir. Based in Cape Town, Wilde was raised in a psychiatric hospital with his nurse mother, alongside schizophrenic and manic depressive patients. Aged only 21 at this time of writing, Wilde has only just emerged through a turbulent and some would say all too real upbringing.

Once aware of Damian's personal back story, the lyrical themes that permeate this EP begin to recall the premise of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, in which the supposedly insane residents of Wilde's Nouveau Noir Street are really the most lucid and switched on of all. Throughout the EP, Damian's lyrics portray a perverse pining for an upturned and inverted world, where the goodies are really the baddies, and the incarcerated are invariably the victims of an uncaring and immoral system. The real perpetrators of injustice, it turns out, are those who contribute towards a reinstated sense of normalcy which only serves to strangle the joy out of modern life. These themes are best demonstrated on the brilliant 'Tempestuous', in which Wilde sings 'I really like the movies/ Where the bad guys don't die,' before he relays a scene of some commonplace regularity, where his friends attempt to restore normality through routinised acts of thoughtlessness, which Wilde is forced to join in, with evident guilt. Damian has what you could call a criminal scepticism towards modern life - it's particularly interesting how he is able to rationalise chaos and mayhem through these songs.

Album opener 'The Umbrella Co.' is perhaps the most musically adventurous of these tunes, featuring stuttering piano lines and claustrophobic electronic sounds. Later, 'Disco Shit' aims an ironic jab at the club scene. On the track, Wilde documents his escape from the superficiality of the present, if only by way of his active indulgence in the superficial, let's-get-drunk-and-pretend-this-never-happened mentality encouraged by the club scene. This outsider mentality is carried through into the music itself, which features dance beats which are too opaque to truly fit in to the clubs. Consequently, the record lives awkwardly between the ambiance and dance genres, as a kind of introverted form of dance music.

Although Damian's sound has plenty of character, this minimalist brand of electronica may faintly remind some of artists such as The XX, and, fainter still, the urban noir of Archy Marshall, aka King Krule. Damian Wilde is much less jarring and idiosyncratic than King Krule, in that his lyrics aim to speak for the multiple mouths of the despondent. Unlike Krule, Damian generally refrains from placing too much emphasis on himself through his lyrics. Although these lyrics undoubtedly come from a personal place, there's a collective sense of belonging here, as Wilde attempts to shine a light on a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction and disillusionment that has clawed its way into modern life.

Maybe I wouldn't rate this so highly if I wasn't such a miserable bastard myself? Perhaps I should get a life and stop being so cynical? In any case, Nouveau Noir is good soul food for those who like their music dark and introspective, and presumably a real bummer for anybody else.



Tracklisting:
1. The Umbrella Co.
2. Tempestuous
3. Green Mile
4. Disco Shit
5. Alive - Freaks of Nurture

Along with reviews, interviews and other journalistic pursuits, the past few months I had also been working on a creative piece modeled after the short story collection by the late great J.D. Salinger. Since we are on a need to know basis, the creative piece was inclusive of Portishead, Radiohead, Bjork and other artists who fell into that minimalist, melancholy, multi-genre tempo heavy music. What you seek you will find remains to be a constant theme in life and The Secret could never be truer. Amongst those artists involuntarily included in my creative pursuits, I have now added the work of Damian Wilde and his Nouveau Noir EP.

Damian was raised by a supportive but constantly working single mother in Belhar just outside Cape Town in a home filled with schizophrenics and manic-depressives whom his mother cared for. “My mother was a nurse at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital and she used to care for those who were on their way back to the ‘real world’ and had trouble adjusting. They became my carers and my friends,” says Damian. He started writing poetry at 10, music became his outlet at 16 and by 19 he was in a band. Now at 21 he continues to develop his ability to articulate his emotions and reflect on his challenges through music. After two years of writing and performing as part of the pSy-hOp band The Red Underground, he decided to work on a solo project, he uses music to make sense of his feelings and reflect on what he describes as the “fucked up” state of being human.

Nouveau Noir EP starts off with “The Umbrella Co,” which has a heavy downbeat, piano single chord progression intro with powerful lyrics and echoed vocals. Like most early in their careers, Damian writes and sings about what he knows best, his struggles in the industry, his wants, needs and emotions. “The Umbrella Co” minimalist in nature starts off the album in good fashion, drawing in the listener, preparing us for what is to come. A nice follow up is “Tempestuous.” On cue the lyrics are poignant, beat heavy, the guitar chord adds a minimal funk to the tune, and the hook is catchy as he sings, “I love the law, but I hate the cops, cause at 2 am all the music stops and they put my boy in the back of the van, I really think we need to escape from the man” – don’t we all. When seeing the song title “Green Mile,” you can’t help, but think about the movie and the sentiment of the song does the same. All unnecessary instruments are stripped away, and his abstract and minimalistic sound shines through so each individual sound can be absorbed and appreciated.



If I haven’t lost you yet, “Disco Shit” is the song I will be using for my creative project. Listen to the song while reading a short story. The emotions between both correlate and form an interesting perspective. Here’s a snippet, Peering out at the ocean over the bridge you can feel the calling. The vast emptiness yields as a promise to wash away your troubles. The cold blue water comforts your skin. You are floating, powerless, weightless, free… The short story collection is titled Tales of the Damned… “Disco Shit.”

“Alive” closes out the album in similar fashion of the rest. This is where the comparisons of The Weekend kick in, for the syncopated harmonies are clean and the minimal instrumentation evokes great emotion. Nouveau Noir EP is a talented piece of work by Damian Wilde and a relatable one. As he states, “My heart, it feels tainted and black. There are a lot of things that are wrong inside. When I make a record I try and scrape off pieces of it, smear it on a record and send it out there.” - Hear Magazine

Damian Wilde is an artist from Cape Town who grew up in a home filled with schizophrenics and manic-depressives whom his mother cared for. She would help those who were transitioning back to the real world and had difficulty adjusting. Eventually these people would often take care of Damian, and ended up becoming his friends.

Now he’s making music, and he just released his debut EP Noir. “The Umbrella Co.” is the lead single and its a heartbreaking affair. Lead by a gentle piano, the song is a personal confession for Wilde, who leaves his heart there on the table for us. It’s a powerful expression, one of many on the EP. - We All Want Someone To Shout For

Damian Wilde is a musician from Cape Town. Going solo after being a part of the band The Red Underground, Wilde has just released his new five song EP, Nouveau Noir. Its stark and minimalistic cover reflects the music found within. Wilde was raised by his single mother who worked in a psychiatric hospital, and his home was constantly filled with recovering schizophrenics and manic depressives. It’s this kind of atmosphere and reality that comes through in every aspect of his music, from the simplistic dark tones of the music to his brutally and emotional honest lyrics.

The opening song “Umbrella Co.” seems to perfectly describe the feelings of someone struggling with depression or bipolar disorder, chronicling the hopes and highs of the future marked by the crippling lows of the present. “Green Mile” also represents this constant shift of emotions with lyrics like “How are you feeling today?/Fucking fantastic, I’m dying tomorrow.” Wilde’s stark piano arrangements not only open the doors to his lyrics but allow a fuller glimpse in his psyche, sounding like an alternate universe in which Daniel Johnston listened to Motown instead of the Beatles.

It’s heavy stuff, but it’s also powerful. Nouveau Noir doesn’t offer any answers, and the mood doesn’t get any happier as the album progresses—in fact, one can argue it’s a downward spiral of depression represented in song, but it’s so rare to hear someone write this honest and truthful. It may be too heavy of a record for many people but if you’ve ever been in a similar mood or currently are, Wilde’s unique presence will make a lot of sense. You might even find solace in his voice. - The Big Takeover

Damian Wilde released his debut solo project, Noveau Noir, on May 20th. These 5 tracks offer a unique downtempo, trip-hop, alt-r&b experience worthy of your attention.
Raised in Belhar, near Cape Town, by a mother who cared for schizophrenics and manic-depressives, Damian’s song crafting summons a soothing darkness as he scrapes away pieces of his heart and embeds them onto the record.
‘My heart, it feels tainted and black. There are a lot of things that are wrong inside’, he says. ‘When I make a record I try and scrape off pieces of it, smear it on a record and send it out there,” he says.
A poet by age 10, Wilde turned to music around age 16. By 19, he was playing in a psy-hop band known as The Red Underground. Now, a few years later, Damian is venturing out as a solo artist on a mission to articulate his emotions and reflect on the “f***** up state” of being human.
Unable to find a producer that fit his tastes, Damian took it upon himself to produce the album. He initially decided to learn guitar after his band’s guitar player left and then he began playing piano during the writing of this record. Damian’s piano playing came naturally – not knowing any note or chord names, he wishes it to stay that way…
…his “honest instrument” [piano], a tool to aid him on his journey of self discovery a journey of “a twisted mind in an even more chaotic world”.
Noveau Noir is Damian’s heart and soul in frequency. This is his self-discovery and will serve as support and “comfort food” for all those moments you find yourself reflecting on the current ‘effed up state of being human.
My personal favorites are Tempestuous and Disco Shit.
“…i think i love the law but i hate the cops cause at 2 AM all the music stops, and they put my boy in the back of the van, i really think we need to escape from the man…”

Read more at http://www.midtnmusic.com/noveau-noir-by-damian-wilde/#hf1qGBrBRo8Obz2k.99 - Middle Tennessee Music

Imagined being raised in a home full of schizophrenics and manic-depressives, a lot of us cannot fathom a childhood of that nature. R&B artist Damian Wilde’s mother was a nurse and she took in mentally ill patients. These patients shaped his music, they became his “carers and friends” says Damian. His music is mature, trippy, and of course Indie.

With a minimalistic approach/style, his sounds create waves of emotion.

Damian’s new release Noveau Noir pays homage to each instrument. The EP is abstract with a poetic touch. If you are a fan of The Weekend, Portishead, and Massive Attack then you will enjoy the conceptual sounds of Damian Wilde. Check out his full EP –

by Malliha Ahmad - Vents Magazine

Based out of Capetown, Damian Wilde produces a minimalist yet affecting blend of acoustic and downtempo electronic sounds, with an R&B touch that compares to adoration expressed by artists like The Weeknd and Portishead. On several of his tracks, vocals and lyrical sentiments are at the forefront, highlighting aspects of human nature like narcissism and self-awareness “I wanna be famous, I want lots of money, I wanna be charming, make sure you think I’m funny,” Wilde croons over a lively yet bare piano lead on lead single “Umbrella Co.”, his semi-tortured semi-melodic croon reminding somewhat of The Cure’s Robert Smith. The only thing accompanying his ardent vocals are sparse electronic reflections and pit-pattering percussion, but the track still resonates emotionally, as any track paying homage to Resident Evil should.

Wilde has been creating art for a decade now — started poetry at 10, was a musician by age 16, and now in his early 20s is putting out solid releases like the Nouveau Noir EP. Wilde handles all music and instruments himself, with production from Winston Moses. His sound is crisp and straightforwardly effective throughout all five tracks. As such, Nouveau Noir EP is a recommended listen. - Obscure Sound

Tucked away amid the coastline of Cape Town, South Africa, Damian Wilde, who was raised in a home filled with schizophrenics and man-depressives, was born and nurtured to do music. As cliche as it may sound, what else is left for one to do when all the hope and love has been drained from the universe. Wilde music is described as abstract and minimalistic and it’s clear why the description is appropriate.

‘My heart, it feels tainted and black. There are a lot of things that are wrong inside’, Wilde says. ‘When I make a record I try and scrape off pieces of it, smear it on a record and send it out there.”

His records are keys that fit the locks holding his feelings, and he hopes those keys unlock the same emotions within his listeners. And that can definitely be heard with his lead single, The Umbrella Co., off his 5-song EP, Nouveau Noir, as it acknowledges the emotional bondage that comes from the quest for fame, fortune all in the of love.

Take a listen to Nouveau Noir. - The Source