Anton Damass Releases Emotional Debut Single ‘Time’ (Irish Acoustic)
A new voice on the Irish music scene, Anton Damass comes armed with only his voice and an acoustic guitar. Unassuming and without pomp or circumstance. On debut single ’Time’, Anton focuses on capturing the heart and soul of the song with emotion and sound, front and centre. Stepping outside of his normal duties as frontman/guitarist in Dark Knights. This project allows a different side to Anton’s songwriting, this stripped back to the core approach showcases his vocals and abilities as a songwriter. Pulling on influence from Bradley Nowell, Jack Johnson, Angus & Julia Stone and Powderfinger. When asked about what’s essential for his songwriting process he says, “Getting out of the way, a pen and some paper”.
During a break from full band duties in Dark Knights, Anton (Andy) didn’t stop writing. Dusting off the old acoustic guitar and focusing solely on melody, these songs have a different feel to them. Recognising that they wouldn’t work as heavier tunes, he decided to give them a new life under his, Anton Damass, monicker. A nickname given to Andy by his good friend Mervando, many years ago. It seems to have stuck, and has now become the mast head for Andy’s acoustic endeavours.
On debut single ’ Time’ Anton was hunting for a different sound from the other songs he had penned up to this point. Favouring a finger picking style for the song, it opened up the process with the chords and tune presenting themselves in one sitting. When it came time to write the lyrics, they arrived without any theme in mind whatsoever. Although, upon listening back to the song, Anton feels like they’re about life itself and the ever present passage of time, as he says “ C’est la vie”. The production further amplifies the raw nature of the song, feeling as though Anton is sat playing just for you. The guitar sounds warm and full, while Anton’s voice carries a beautiful melody, helping imbue the lyrics with an emotional weight that might otherwise be lost in a full band setting.
When it came time to capture the track Anton travelled to Neal Calderwood’s studio at Manor Park. Having recorded with Neal before, the relaxed atmosphere cultivated in the studio meant that it was easy for the pair to arrive at the sound we hear on the song today. The video for the song is a visual collage made up of phone footage from friends and clips from Anton’s vaults. The artwork is taken from a still in the video that captures some friends embracing the wind on a beach in County Clare, mirroring lyrics from the song.
Anton Damass takes a bold step forward with this single, the stripped back vulnerable approach of guitar and vocals make the song feel even more intimate and carry more emotional weight. In an age when it’s easy to ‘produce’ a track, this method feels refreshing and helps Anton stand out amongst his contemporaries. With a wealth of songs already written and an eye on more studio time, this is far from the last time we’ll hear from Anton Damass.