lovelost

Sydney-based songwriter and performer Dominic Breen first emerged in the Aussie music scene in 2018. One EP and three singles later, he is now best known for playing every single instrument on his recordings, and recently released his new single Lovelost, produced by Middle Kids’ Tim Fitz.

Words Emma Smith

“It’s a sad song in disguise,” Dominic explains of Lovelost. “It’s a photo of woe put through the happiness filter. I wanted a song about hopelessness and uncertainty to sound bright and confident.”

We spoke to Dominic about his most memorable performances, his favourite artists and the creative process of producing his new single.

When you were a teenager you suffered from a number of serious concussions resulting in severe head trauma. Bizarrely some people say these injuries unlocked something within you and your writing flourished. Can you tell us a bit about this?
I think it may have had some effect on me. I definitely wasn't really sane for a while. I think about it, and it’s just so hard to tell. But some people would tend to think so.

You released your new single Lovelost recently and you play almost every instrument on the track! How long have you been able to play multiple instruments?
I still can’t. I don’t know, I don’t really remember a time when I all of a sudden could. I picked up a guitar in high school and probably didn’t give it the time it deserved until year 12 when I should have been focused on something else.

Lovelost was produced by Tim Fitz from Middle Kids. What was that like?
It was great. He is a really good person to be in a room with. He has a real knack for producing sounds that I wouldn’t have been able to get on my own. It was really nice having someone to show my work to who could easily cut the fat out of things. He has an energy that is really conducive to getting the best out of me. He has a really good work ethic too, so even though there were moments where I was emoting and doing what I had to do to record a song, we kept chugging through, getting things done and cutting out bits we didn’t like. There weren't many deep moments of contemplation, we were just getting it done. We started at 10am and finished at 5pm every day. It wasn’t like how I imagine most bands record - through the night, over some wines, where you find some magic at 4am. It was pretty much like a 9-5 gig with me and Tim.

The music industry has undoubtedly been one of the hardest hit industries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. How did you cope during lockdown? Did the period of isolation push you to create music you otherwise wouldn’t have had time for? Or did isolation bring your momentum to a halt?
I don’t know how much momentum I had to begin with anyway. I think you have to make do with what you’re given. I guess all the lockdowns did was give me more time. In that time an album was made.

Is there a certain gig you’ve played that stands out as being the most memorable for you? If so why?
I think one of the most memorable gigs I’ve played would have been supporting this band called Tactics at Marrickville Bowling Club. Standing up in the front row was Lindy Morrison, the drummer of the Go Betweens who are one of my favourite bands. We were playing, and I was already pretty nervous. I get pretty nervous. And she was there. At the moment I noticed her, my amp blew up. So I couldn’t hide behind playing the guitar. I had to hold the mic and sing like a front man, which was something I hadn’t really done before. When I finished that song, I changed amps and kept playing. But yeah, I really remember that gig for the fact I was playing to one of my musical idols, and since my amp blew up there was this atmosphere of chemicals burning in the air. It was surreal. It felt like every shit gig I had ever played might have been worth it for just that moment alone.

What artists are in your Spotify playlist at the moment?
Ultracrush, The Bats, Joni Mitchell and Ali Farka Touré

Will we catch you performing back at North Gong again anytime soon?
I’d love to! We played down there in 2018 and actually that was a really fun gig. There were just so many people there and obviously they had no idea who we were, but they were still there. I remember that fondly. Everyone was there to see live music and it didn’t matter who it was. I like coming down that way and going around the coast and sleeping in the van sometimes when I need to get out of the city.

What advice do you have for aspiring musicians who are trying to get involved in the music scene?
Whatever advice I have wouldn’t be very good advice because I still don’t know how to do that myself. I think you just have to do what you can, be who you are and be a good person and hopefully play good music. That's all that matters.

What is something you do outside of music that contributes to your musicality?
Stare at the ceiling, read, listen to other music, go for walks, listen to the trains go by and wonder where they’re going.

If you had the chance to collaborate with any musician who would it be?
I would have loved to collaborate with Ali Farka Touré in his time.