Modern Mirror
Since the 2015 release of Drab Majesty’s debut “Careless”, and the release of the acclaimed sophomore album “The Demonstration” the following year, artist Deb Demure and collaborator Mona D. have firmly established themselves amongst the pantheon of dark synth-pop greats, establishing a devoted fan base worldwide with their singular hypnotic sound and mysterious, constantly-evolving presence. Following intense and extensive touring in support of the first two albums, Drab Majesty escaped to the inspirational landscapes of Athens, Greece to channel the songs for their most ambitious album creation yet: Modern Mirror. Blowing the dust off the antiquarian myth of Ovid’s “Narcissus”, Drab Majesty uses its premise as groundwork for a modern reinterpretation. Each song tells a piece of the story, in which the listener’s own self-identity has become warped and dissociated through rapidly expanding technology, losing touch with the origins of their own personalities. Setting the stage as a romantic saga of antiquity, “A Dialogue” asks the listener if they are truly in love amid a building wash of guitars and reverb. Elements of classic tragedy weigh heavily in the reflection of Modern Mirror in songs like “The Other Side”, possessing a fundamental sound that is energetic, luminous and hopeful. Fusing the sonic aesthetics of predecessors like New Order and The Cure within the cautious instruction of Greek mythology and modern science fiction, Drab Majesty has birthed a hybrid of dreamy malaise, captured for a future moment. The first single, “Ellipsis”, romantically plays up the distorted concept of courting through modern technology in a world that has yet to adapt, while on “Long Division”, Deb’s resounding guitar cascades around the chorus shared with No Joy frontwoman Jasamine White-Gluz, wistfully warning us against our vanity and self-obsession. Even when hope for everlasting love peeks through in “Oxytocin”, a sparkling and stoic track sung by Mona D., we are firmly reminded our fleeting existence. Modern Mirror is a journey of self-reflection, nostalgia, love, beauty, and heartbreak told across eight addictive and emotional synth pop anthems – a seemingly classic tale delivered unblinkingly through the frame of the modern world. Produced by Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv) and mastered by Dave Cooley, with appearances by Jasamine White-Gluz (No Joy) and Justin Meldal-Johnson (NIN, Beck, M83, Air). Packaging and design by Juan Mendez of Jealous God/Silent Servant.
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Los Angeles' Drab Majesty have carved out a distinctively goth-toned niche in the modern musical landscape with their artfully conceptual brand of '80s-style alternative rock and synth pop. Essentially the solo vehicle of singer/songwriter Andrew Clinco, who performs in an androgynous blond wig and sunglasses under the pseudonym Deb DeMure, Drab Majesty sound like a long-lost 4AD or Corpus Christi label band circa 1984. It's an aesthetic the duo (which also includes keyboardist Alex Nicolaou aka Mona D) first debuted on 2015's Careless, and one they further develop to gloriously atmospheric effect on their third album, 2019's Modern Mirror. The opening "A Dialogue" is a shimmering, slow-burning spire of a song in the tradition of the Cure's "The Kiss" or "Plainsong" that perfectly sets the tone of what's to come. Cuts like "Ellipsis" and "Oxytocin" are more buoyantly delivered anthems built around DeMure's dusky croon, ringing, delayed guitar leads, and heavily revered drum machine beats, a combination that evokes early albums by the Church. Similarly evocative, "Out of Sequence" with its whip-crack beat and DeMure's moody vocals brings to mind the patent-leather swagger of '80s goth icons like Ministry and Bauhaus.
In a short span, Drab Majesty have become a cult phenomenon for music lovers across genres. Everyone seems to love the tragic pop beauty of...
Drab Majesty are Deb Demure and Mona D., the androgynous, mannequin-esque alter egos of multi-instrumentalist Andrew Clinco and collaborator Alex Nicolaou.