Evocative, powerful, and engrossing. The music that Jayn Maiven creates on her solo project Darkher is complex yet earthen. ‘’The Buried Storm’’ is her second album, a myriad of emotions from’’ Loves Sudden Death’’ to Fear Not My King’’. It is a haunting and brilliant journey with many musical subtleties led by Inspiration
‘’Thank you very much. It was inspiration led, I rarely set out with any intentions
when making music, I just let the creativity come through me and then take it in the
direction that feels right for the song.
It is a fragile personal album?
‘’I would say it’s a mood or a kind of meditation, which was definitely driven by
emotions.
It has a lot more instrumentation. Do most songs begin with a vocal or guitar line?
‘’Yes, I always start songs on the acoustic guitar, it’s just the instrument I seem to pick
up and enjoy playing when writing.
It has a sparse cinematic feel.
‘’I do feel that the music is written and produced in a very visual way, as though I am
writing it for a story or movie. I often see images in my mind when I layer the
production and it starts to evolve into a track. I think the sparse elements within the
music was possibly a mirror between the sparseness of the landscape during the
winter months, which is when I was working on the songs.
It also has an immediate feeling like Unbound.
‘’Unbound was written in the moment, it took its form complete with guitar, lyrics and
melody all at once, it was a very inspired track.
Does nature influence you when creating?
‘’Nature is the essence of my creations, it’s at the root of everything.
There is also an air of positivity, the calm after a storm?
‘’This was something I needed to have within the songs because the album was
made during the recovery from a period of illness when I had a nervous
breakdown, so some elements of the album were messages to me to find
strength and calm amidst the turbulence.
Has the music overcome the darkness?
‘’I think we all have darkness and light within us, we can’t have one without the other.
I’m learning to guide my way out of it when it descends upon me, but music and
creativity is a safe place, where I can process some dark emotions and helps me to
understand and overcome them.
‘’Immortals’’ are epic! What inspired it and what is it the character seeking?
‘’If the album was the storm itself, immortals is the eye of that storm.
If you were immortal what would that mean to you?
‘’I hope that we are on some level.
Love's Sudden Death is the darkest love song?
‘’It relates to the sorrow of lost love.
Is Darkher your only creative outlet?
‘’I also take pictures and make videos, which I really love to do,
however, I wouldn’t call myself a photographer or videographer.
Plans for the future and more live performances
‘’I try not to think into the future anymore, as I don’t want to take for granted the
present moment. I will see how things unfold, but I do look forward to playing more
live shows again soon.
https://www.darkher.net/