A Chat with Danny Valentine and the Meditations (27.01.25)
With intoxicating flair and hypnotic ease, Danny Valentine and the Meditations can easily ensnare your senses, tap into that area of the brain where only music is understood, and leave you speechless with each melodic symphony. Hailing from the UK, the group push the boundaries of genre daubing psych-pop with indie-rock, new wave and disco making them rather difficult to define. We speak with Danny Valentine about their album Parapraxis, plans for the future, what music means to them, and much more.
OSR: You are about to release your full-length album Parapraxis. What can you tell us about the album? Is there a particular backstory or theme?
Valentine: Parapraxis is the term for the Freudian slip, when the subconscious accidentally manifests itself. That is the theme of this record, the subconscious slipping into consciousness. This theme plays out in the imagery in the lyrics, dreamscapes, sleep, night terror, memory and isolation. It was mostly written during the pandemic so the internal experience is very much present. As soon as we could come together, we hid ourselves in a remote studio in Wales to lay down the tracks. That was a joyful experience and that plays through too, counterbalancing some of the darker themes.
OSR: Parapraxis is your third full-length album – if Spotify serves me correctly. Does the production of each album and/or single change, or is it generally a template to follow? In other words, is the creation of each album unique?
Valentine: Yes, we don’t set out to do things differently but they end up that way. The first two records were produced by the same person (Ian Davenport who has worked with artists like Wir Sind Helden, Band of Skulls, Radiohead and Slowdive). This time we went alone and we worked as a live band rather than tracking each instrument alone. We also stayed in one place, rather than recording in multiple studios in Europe and the US. It was really satisfying to do it this way.
OSR: What do you hope people take from your music?
Valentine: I hope people find joy in it, the music is made for catharsis and release, dancing and thinking.
OSR: Danny Valentine and the Meditations was formed in 2007, so that’s almost 20 years ago. How have you seen the musical landscape change in that time, and what are your thoughts on its evolution – particularly the use of AI in composition and production?
Valentine: The last twenty odd years have seen a revolution – making recorded music is now totally democratised not held in the gift of record labels. Artists can do so much on their own and have so much more control. There are also less boundaries now. The flip side is there is so much out there it can be hard to be heard. On AI, well, it’s a tool and the smart and gifted ones will find a way to make beautiful art with it somehow. AI can also help with all the admin of being an independent artist. I still feel that music fans, however, will always want to come to a venue to have that glorious shared experience of the live performance so the human factor will always be important.
OSR: As a more experienced band, what have you learned as artists over the past years, looking at your sound and yourselves? Do you have any advice for upcoming musicians?
Valentine: Be true to yourself, do what you love and believe in. And remember, you always meet people twice, so always be yourself and if nothing else, be kind.
OSR: What is the most challenging thing about being a musician, as well as the most exciting thing?
Valentine: As an independent artist, you have to be a writer, an engineer, a producer, a publicist, a booker, a manager, an influencer, a visual artist and a performer. That is a helluva hard job. However, the privilege of creating and performance makes it all worth it!
OSR: What does music mean to you?
Valentine: Music is pure emotion, expression and joy. It is the colour of life, it unifies and it can change the world. It is the super power of all humanity!
OSR: If you had to introduce Danny Valentine and the Meditations to a new listener, which song would you recommend and why?
Valentine: ‘Homine Domine’ on the new album probably is the best door into our world – upbeat back beat, sleazy brass, counterpoint vocals, great riffs and is a call to arms for all the disaffected and disenfranchised!
OSR: What can we expect from Danny Valentine and the Meditations in the future?
Valentine: We are touring Europe this summer starting at Wild at Heart in Berlin on April 26th and after that another record is being cooked up in the kitchen right now!
OSR: Do you have a message for our readers?
Valentine: Stop wars. Love conquers everything. Thank you for listening!
Many thanks to Danny Valentine for speaking with us. For more from Danny Valentine and the Meditations on their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
