19 February 2021 - 0 Comments

The video clip, which premiered on Backseat Mafia , was created by NZ director Jonathan King, whose work includes the film Black Sheep and numerous video clips for leading NZ artists (Fur Patrol, Stellar*, Bike, Greg Johnson, King Kapisi, Second Child etc).

Included on NZ Musician's Spotify playlist, featured on Muzic.net.nz and currently receiving airplay across Australia, Here It Is is Binder’s first release since his 2016 album A New World, which garnered strong critical praise. It's the first single from Damien's fifth solo album currently in production with producer Matt Gio (Katy Steele, Birds of Tokyo, Abbe May, Rudimental), due for release later in 2021.

Of the new track and forthcoming record, Damien explains that “I wanted to try and break away from my usual choices and reimagine the songs. I had heard some of Matt’s work including one of my fave’s - Katy Steele’s Human, and knew together we could find a new context for the songs, plus he really liked them which helps!”

Here It Is marks a distinct departure in Binder’s sound while still retaining the core elements of his distinctive songwriting style. It's a multi-faceted example of the way his craft has evolved over the years.

At its core, the strength of Damien's emotive and nuanced songwriting resonates strongly via the song's universal themes and the way he seamlessly conveys both melancholy and optimism. Reflecting on the writing of Here It Is, Damien describes it as “a kind of meditation on appreciating the moment, gratitude and impermanence.”

On the surface the track sparkles and swerves with an indie pop production and sonic aesthetic courtesy of keyboards, digitally enhanced drums and acoustic guitar. You can also hear the distant and formative strains of Damien's early musical years, in New Zealand band Second Child, via his ability to blend melody through the ever-shifting dynamics of the song.

Here It Is is the tantalising first taste of Damien's forthcoming 2021 album.

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