Sydney's Father Deer Hands bring a bright and positive flare to their unique blend of alternative emo and post-hardcore on the uplifting new single Sunlight Dance.
Aptly titled, Sunlight Dance is a warm embrace of fuzzy guitar chords and bass, littered with midwest emo-inspired leads and bouncy drum breaks, laying the foundations for a passionate performance by vocalist Matthew Betmalik.
Perfectly suited to anyone that has Tiny Moving Parts and Being As An Ocean scattered throughout their playlists, the new single acknowledges the unpredictable nature of life, growing up and its effects on drifting relationships.
Betmalik explains, “As a kid, it's easy to get stuck in the mentality that things will always be as they are. In reality, it's never that simple, things change and life doesn't slow down for anything. I guess this is just a song to say that even though things are different to what we'd planned, I wish every piece of my past the best. It's all love, regardless.”
Accompanying the single is a light-hearted video clip created in partnership with fellow NSW band buddy and creative Amy McIntosh (The Beautiful Monument, Vilify), who also lends her expertise in all things visual to Father Deer Hands.
Watch the video, which is premiering exclusively via Maniacs today below.
Father Deer Hands - Sunlight Dance
Sunlight Dance marks the first release from the forthcoming 3-track EP, Sad Souls Don't Float Upstream out Friday, October 7th. To give further insight into Sunlight Dance, the band compiled a list of songs that have had a profound influence on the sound of Father Deer Hands.
Songs That Have Influenced Father Deer Hands
The Wonder Years- I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral - Matt Belmalik [vocals]
"The Wonder Years became a staple for me the first time I heard them. Everything the vocalist Dan writes about resonates with me on another level. I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral is hands down my favourite track of theirs. It captures pretty much all the emotions felt throughout the entire album and further elaborates into a point of closure to finish up with that big triumphant ending. Still gives me goosebumps."
"Some of it definitely rubs off into Father Deer Hands, especially Sunlight Dance. I feel like the line "It's hard to fly when you're falling with clipped wings" is almost like a throwback to songs like I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral or even From First To Last's When Flying Feels Like Falling. At least I feel like it sums up the emotions that tracks like those made me feel when I was younger."
The Dillinger Escape Plan- Farewell, Mona Lisa - Wade Garnett [guitar]
"The music is genius! Chaotic bliss! The aggression is on point. Dillinger have managed to push their music ability beyond the average metal/hardcore outfit, and yet as crazy as it is, It’s enjoyable. It’s rooted in Latin and jazz and I think it’s timeless! In 200 years' time, humans will be talking about Dillinger like they do Mozart today (maybe). Farewell, Mona Lisa opens the album, and the tremolo on the guitar builds this anxiety inside me that all of the sudden just explodes into jazzy chaos! It leaves me laughing and smiling- every time. The chromatic middle section is fun to learn on guitar as well. Took me three nights to land it."
"A big part of Father Deer Hands’ sound is inspired by my favourite bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Every Time I Die, Glass Jaw, Poison the Well- the list goes on! But our tuning is near impossible to play those songs in. With the rest of the guys' influences, I will regularly bring riffs to practice and we jam them out but after we all do our bit, it comes out A LOT different. It’s the best thing ever. We have dudes in the band that would love to play in Trophy Eyes and then there is me who’s like “have you heard this album from 20 years ago”? Did it influence Sunlight Dance? Absolutely! The breakdown before the clean section! The syncopated chords was all Dillinger. But it sounds emo because of the open tunings I use."
"Rhythmically, there are some sections that are heavily Dillinger inspired. I think the mindset that Ben Weinman (founder of Dillinger Escape Plan) has shared throughout his career has been super inspiring to me. I’m not making music in Deer Hands to be “cool” or to fit in. I write it for myself. I just want to create someone legit and real, and hope people turn up and appreciate it. It’s a lot of fun and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon."
Hot Mulligan- BCKYRD- Tyson Ryan [bass]
"They had me hooked musically the first time I heard them at work on a random Spotify mix then going back and finding them lyrically as catchy made them the whole package. I think BCKYRD is my favourite song because it's a mix of everything I like, that blend of pop punk and Midwest emo is right up my alley. Mostly it's the lyrics for me though "Say, what's your interests, tell me how you plan to give up all of them" made me think of all the things I'd say as a kid that I wanted to do as an adult and how I changed my mind a million times, but eventually, I figured music was going to be my for sure thing and my day job would be how I would fund it."
"Amongst a mountain of other bands and songs, BCKYRD specifically made me think of a different way to approach writing for Sunlight Dance that fit perfectly for the song. In the way of Deer Hands music in general, we all have similar musical tastes so that plays a part in how to structure songs, finding that happy medium of chaos and pop punk."
Tiny Moving Parts - Birdhouse - James Garnett [drums]
"TMP has always been a massive influence to myself and to Father Deer Hands overall. Going into writing the midwest sound has always been something we enjoy integrating into our own music. Song wise TMP have always been able to deliver both musically and lyrically, and I have always enjoyed listening to them no matter the mood or situation I'm in. It’s a band I've always been able to relate to and can’t see myself ever getting over that. Birdhouse is the song that got me into them, when I first heard it I really couldn’t find anything else like it. One of those situations where you listen to one song and then straight to the album. Next minute you’re hooked in."
"Overall it’s high energy with deep well constructed lyrics. With our songs, we always want people to bop and get heavily into it but also relate to it on a personal level. I think Sunlight Dance is a perfect example of that."
Taking Back Sunday- Make Damn Sure - Band decision
"Growing up we all feel like Taking Back Sunday was the most influential band to us. Emo at its finest. Hard-hitting in every way possible It’s actually hard to decide which song to choose as a favourite. Make Damn Sure is just iconic though. One of the greatest choruses of all time in our opinion. We feel like in most, if not all of our songs, we pull influence from TBS. In regards to Sunlight Dance, you can hear the influence in the softer bridge that heads straight into that big ending."
Sunlight Dance is out on Thursday, August 25th.
Listen to Father Deer Hands
