DANIEL DAVIES announces new album ‘Ghost of the Heart’ to be released on June 21st on Sacred Bones alongside the album’s lead single and accompanying video, “I Know Why” which is out now.
In the last decade, Daniel Davies has become an accomplished composer of atmospheric, synth-heavy instrumental music for film and TV scores which he brings into this latest release. In his previous musical career, Davies was a rocker, touring all over the world with heavy bands like Year Long Disaster and Karma to Burn.
Davies’ new solo album, ‘Ghost of the Heart,’ returns to the alt-rock sound he had temporarily set aside whilst adding what he’s learned making soundtracks and instrumental music.
When discussing how he had brought this idea into the new album Davies says:
“Writing a rock album is an expression on how the artist feels, while scoring a film involves creating soundscapes to complement someone else’s story. With this album, I wanted to merge the heavy guitar riffs from my rock days with the atmospheric synth sounds I’ve been experimenting with as a composer.”
Whilst taking a step back from the alt-rock sound he had crafted, he honed a parallel skillset, one that shows up all over ‘Ghost of the Heart’. He learned how to record himself, which meant he could easily experiment with song ideas without the pressure of a studio deadline. Through his collaborations with John and Cody Carpenter, he became a synth wizard. Keyboards were never a big part of Davies’ early rock bands, but on ‘Ghost of the Heart’, they’re a crucial counterpoint to the guitar work.
“Something that I brought into this process from film music was the immediacy of it,” Davies says. “Just letting it happen, and then not picking it apart too much. The idea comes out, and then I kind of structure it, get it together, and if it seems right, then go” says Davies.
‘Ghost of the Heart’ is a special album for Davies. It sees him returning to his origins in rock music, but it also couldn’t have been made without the lessons of his time in the film world. In the truest sense, it’s a career-defining work, one that showcases everything he’s learned in his decades as a musician. It reveals a door that, now opened, can take Davies anywhere he wants to go.
‘Ghost of the Heart’ track list:
1. I Know Why – official video
2. Presence on the Hill
3. Into You
4. It Takes A Lot
5. Ghost of the Heart
6. Still the Servant
7. Big Crush
8. Wait
9. Those Eyes
