We receive a ton of new music press releases daily here at GDW, but given our very limited time and resources, only a small percentage earn more than a cursory glance. I’ve often expressed that it is those that stand out from the pack that garner our attention, and especially those that dangle some tasty bait. So, when a recent press release landed in our inbox with a completely unknown band name – but accompanied by a very recognizable artist image – being intrigued was an understatement.
As the powerhouse lead vocalist fronting the JUNO Award winning duo Dear Rouge, Vancouver-based artist Danielle McTaggart is no stranger here at GDW. Having shared her explosive brand of indie synth-pop for a decade now (hard to believe that their breakthrough “Black to Gold” album – my personal favorite release from 2015 – is now ten years old), Danielle is ready to share a different side of her music persona. And while not the first – or last – artist to step away and try other genres, for those familiar with Danielle’s high-energy Dear Rouge performances, well, trust me, this is as far removed as it likely gets…
Rebranding herself as Larkk, Danielle steps away from her chart-topping roots and lure of the stage lights, instead channeling some inner peace and poetic vulnerability as an intimate, introspective instrumentalist – and shares her debut single, “Caverns.” For Danielle, this hauntingly slow and beautiful piano composition is a reminder of “the deep and sacred journey I took when I suddenly and unexpectedly experienced deep grief like I had never known. The memories of my life, the unexplored ideas and questions I had long ignored, began to awaken.”
For Larkk, this music exists in the space between the past and the future – an evolution of both sound and spirit. And for Danielle, this is much more than just a new chapter in her career, it is the creation of an entirely new language of storytelling. “As I went down into the caverns of my heart, I heard a voice in my innermost spirit, ‘When you can’t go around, you must go down’,” she recalls. “So down I went. I walked slow, afraid and shaking, through the tunnels of my heart. And yet, to my utter surprise, there was such treasure there. And I knew, somehow, I was not alone.”
“One night I sat down at my old piano, not expecting anything at all,” Larkk shared earlier this month on social media. “But a melody appeared, slow and fragile, like a single thread pulling me somewhere new. That was the first time Caverns whispered itself into being.”
Photo Credit: Lindsey Blane
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
