Dijon (Apr. 2018)
When first introduced to Dijon, and his music, you’ll instantly gain the same feeling every one of his listeners experience from the first note on. A warm blanket of vulnerability and truth that drapes the mind as it brings serenity through sound in a way like no other. Dijon himself being as human as the music he creates, encountering life one up and down at a time, reflecting on the love, loss and lingering emotions that come with either.
A young LA musician who recently decided to go solo, striping back his former electronic sound for soft spoken individuality in instrumentation and lyricism; all key ingredients for a musical journey like no other. A journey he has already roadmapped with a short string of delicate singles that capture the heart to its fullest depths, songs so beautiful one could only imagine them in a dream.
But above all, he creates a break from reality for anyone willing to share his sonic space, allowing himself to act as the guide towards an understanding of ourselves and the challenges of daily life, even if he himself is still learning who he wants to be and where he truly wants to go.
Paramind: First question, as always, how’s your day going?
Dijon: I’m doing okay! Not Awful.
PM: In your own words, how would you describe yourself? Is there any distinction between yourself as a musician/artist and you as a person trudging through daily life, or is it all intertwined and each generally a reflection of one another?
D: I avoid trying to describe myself if I can help it….. But I’d like to think, especially recently, my music is not separated from who I am really. So I’m in there. I think my biggest weakness generally is not separating the two, and not knowing how to not be just the one idea of myself at all times. But that’s another topic and I’m working on it!
PM: All your music for the past few years has held the unique distinction of being personal in nature, while relatable to all who listen, is this relatability essential to your musical mission, or is it something that comes through naturally by being honest in your songs?
D: I think relatability is cool, but if I could write more abstractly and with more symbology and mystique I probably would because I love good writers that can flip anything to mean anything else. I‘m just bad at that. So I perversely mine own life for ideas.
PM: What music do you personally relate to? What sound, other than yourself, is the closest to your experiences in the human existence?
D: I’m really into dance music. And I think all of my close friends make the best music around, and for that I’m stimulated and grateful. Also, Kacey Musgraves has the best album of the year.
PM: Recently, you’ve been publicly evolving through the entrance into releasing music under your solo moniker, though, this begs the question of what personal change, growth and experiences it took to come to this decision?
D: Thanks for asking! People just grow and I developed a desire and need to express things a little more personally. It took years to hit that point of: “okay, I can only say this this way”. And I wanted to explore songwriting more intimately, and I believe it took changing my process to being a little more insulated and alone to capture how I hear songs structured and arranged. So it was a desire to get better musically as much as it was this personal growth thing.
PM: It seems sonically, you’ve shifted into a more minimalistic, acoustic approach to sound, how does it compare to your past ventures in electronic and R&B music? And, was that phase necessary to finding your new striped back sound?
D: I don’t think it does compare. I was in a different period and place and I didn’t have many end goals making things. I think it was super necessary because I look back to it and feel my contributions to the songs weren’t my favorite and being humbled like that is very vital to how I make stuff now. The stripped back thing was because I really didn’t want to obsess over sounds and production. I wanted to write stronger, better songs and felt I could cut through finding a simple sonic language with the end goal of slowly building it up again over time, just more deliberately.
PM: More so, have you seen difficulty in moving away from the sound many know you for? An almost Dylan going electric type thing, ya know?
D: I am just making stuff with the tools I have. I hope to expand ‘em and continue to color my musical palette and isolate myself further and further from familiarity until I’m broadcasting bursts of white noise from a pirate transmission somewhere. But in reality I want to strip my stuff so it’s easier to mix my way and translate the songs. Soon it’ll get busier and weirder I’m sure, and I’d love other people to come and help with production too. All in time…
PM: With that said, what positivity do you believe the near future holds for you? Do you have projects or ideas you’re coming near ready to share?
D: I’m gonna release more singles from the stranger/violence era…. And then it’s all up in the air! No plans.
PM: What do you find is the main difference in releasing music on your own? Is there a difference in emotion?
D: It still feels as shitty and nerve wracking as before.
PM: Beyond sound and life experience, has there been other artistic mediums, whether film, photography, painting etc. that have continued to inspire you in your new direction?
D: Film was an early love of mine, and reading is the best thing for my writing. I love it all and envy all other artists who aren’t me, as they are brilliant and honest.
PM: Just to wrap up, is there anybody you would like to thank or shout out? The floor is yours.
D: Thank you for taking the time and listening to the stuff!
PM: Above all though, would you say you’re proud of yourself through it all?
D: Some days yes. Other days no. And that’s life….