In Dani Mack’s final release of the year, “light on the corner,” they share their fears and anxieties around vulnerability in dating. The alternative pop/rock artist, Baylee Barrett, who releases under the aforementioned moniker, conveys her thoughts in a gentle voice over a stripped back and simple instrumental comprised of brass reminiscent of a foghorn on a boat at sea, haunting near-monotone synths, and a muted acoustic guitar that tugs at your heartstrings in its plainness and honesty.
The vocals and lyrics feel so home-y and authentic that the song sounds almost like a voice memo recording from one cathartic writing session, catalyzed by overwhelming emotions pouring out of Barrett’s mental floodgates.
Whatever circumstances may have spurred the creation of “light on the corner,” the result will most definitely have you flipping through your own mental photo albums of bittersweet moments and would be the perfect addition to your rainy day soundtrack, perhaps sandwiched between a Sufjan Stevens song from the “Call Me By Your Name” soundtrack and your favourite melancholy Clairo or Phoebe Bridgers track, or mixed in with some Andy Shauf or Nick Hakim; take your pick, you can’t go wrong.
I had the chance to ask Dani Mack a few questions about the new single, her past releases, and what’s to come. Check out their answers below and find “light on the corner” on all streaming platforms:
YARYN: Sonically, “light on the corner” is very different from “fleabag.” was “fleabag” the outlier, made to feel punkier to correlate with the lyrics or would you say both styles are representative of your musical interests and influences?
DANI: I do feel that “fleabag” is the outlier at least right now. We are definitely experimenting with different elements of punk music as I have been diving into that realm with a bit of fascination as of late. I come from a singer-songwriter background so light on the corner is really just a representation of where I come from and who I will always be at my core. I believe, and I think most people would agree, that if a song can be played striped on an acoustic guitar and leave you feeling something grand in whatever capacity that may be, it’s a good song. Where you take it from there is the fun part.
YARYN: Both the lyrics and melody feel very raw and vulnerable. Was this a very personal song to write or more so about a hypothetical situation? Can you tell me a bit about the writing process? (Was it lyrics or melody first, did it just happen all at once, was it an easy song to write/stream of consciousness or more of a labour of love, etc.)
DANI: This song is definitely very personal for me. I felt very lonely at the time. I had never really dated anyone seriously and I felt this fear of never really being seen or understood by someone in a romantic way. The song itself came pretty quickly lyrically. I tend to write both guitar and lyrics together. I feel they are more connected that way. Sound can inspire feeling and feeling can inspire sound so they build off one another. The chorus was a bit of a battle for me. There is a weird change that almost sounds like a key change that took me forever to find. I went back and forth on it for a long time trying to find the right pacing so it would sound natural and not alarming. It’s definitely my favorite part of the song. It’s very quick and can almost go unnoticed which is what I think I really love about it.
YARYN: What is your favourite lyric in the track?
DANI: Oh gosh. Tough. My favorite lyric is probably the first half of the first verse. Specifically “tell me something I already know” because it circles back to what I say in the very first line of the song. It best represents what I was feeling at the time which was very dismissed.
YARYN: Who or what do you draw inspiration from? (musical or non-musical, famous or not!)
DANI: I find inspiration from so many things. Sometimes it could be a really great movie or a book that makes me look inward. I am constantly inspired by what I’m listening to. I was listening to Andy Shauf religiously while writing light on the corner. His lyrics are so intimate and honest. Currently I’m obsessing over Cate Le Bon. Best live show I’ve seen maybe ever. I’ll always be obsessing over Radiohead. I’m inspired There is so much good music out there and we want to explore it all in some form.
YARYN: Anything exciting you can share about what’s to come?
DANI: We have some new bops on the horizon and are planning on releasing an EP in the new year. They are good songs. I can’t wait to get ‘em out there.
