Dallas-based musician and visual artist Nicole Marxen has shared her new song Bones/Dust. The track is the latest single lifted for her debut solo EP, ‘Tether’ out February 26 (pre-order). You can listen to the single via Soundcloud below.
On the song Nicole Marxen says: “Bones/Dust was the first song I wrote for the EP. The chords and lyrics came together in less than an hour, almost as if led by an invisible hand.
My mom was one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. When she passed, I used to say that she’d probably haunt me for a good laugh. There were countless nights where I’d be lying in bed, waiting for a presence to reveal itself.
A few months later, I saw the film Personal Shopper. Kristen Stewart plays a woman grieving the loss of her twin brother. The two had believed they were mediums and agreed whoever passed first would give the other a sign from beyond. Stewart’s character becomes obsessed in her anticipation, which resonated with me on an eerily similar level.”
Bones/Dust is available on all streaming platforms now.
Last month Nicole Marxen revealed the official video the EP’s title track. The video which was directed by Judd Myers – watch it via YouTube. On the song, Nicole Marxen says, “‘Tether’ is about navigating the vast landscape of loss. In many ways, it was a crucial first step in my own grieving process and self-discovery as a songwriter.” She adds, “Being so rooted in showmanship, I hadn’t explored such vulnerability in my work before. When I began to shift my efforts inward, I found that my truth very much needed to be expressed. The song serves as a reminder to hold space for myself.” Tether is available now on all streaming platforms to add to your favourite playlists.
Nicole Marxen’s project Midnight Opera received praise for their “unpredictable songwriting; waterfalls of catharsis; gorgeous, haunting melodies.” Their visual feast live performances, a meld of opulent set design, choreography, and costumes, awarded the band the title of “Best Group Act” from The Dallas Observer in 2018.
About ‘Tether’
Nicole Marxen is known as one of the shiny dark innovators behind acclaimed avant-garde pop band Midnight Opera, her solo debut ‘Tether’ is a meditation on the grieving process. Following the sudden passing of her mother, Marxen explores grief through the lens of a crystal—multifaceted among jagged and lustrous planes.
“I used to think that my life wasn’t worth writing about,” says Marxen. “I hid behind the characters I created, the haven of the stage, the armor of costume. My art was elaborate escapism.”
The EP’s title track finds itself traversing the vast, desert landscape of loss. Marxen says “in many ways, it was a crucial first step in my own grieving process and self-discovery as a songwriter. Being so rooted in showmanship, I hadn’t explored such vulnerability in my work before.” She elaborates “when I began to shift my efforts inward, I found that my truth very much needed to be expressed. The song serves as a reminder to hold space for myself.”
Soaring from screeching highs to icy subterranean depths, Marxen creates a sonic landscape in which she is unafraid to own her pain. Recorded at John Congleton’s studio, Elmwood, with Alex Bhore (formerly of This Will Destroy You), unresolved emotions began to take shape. Grief cannot be overcome, only carried. A raw, open wound, ‘Tether’ is a captivating debut.
‘Tether’ track list
1. Tether
2. Moonflower
3. Bones/Dust
4. Wild Again
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