Brooklyn-based artist Ronan Conroy presents his new single ‘Dark Paradise’, a clever goth-rock rendition of the Lana Del Rey classic. This is the second taster of his album ‘The Slow Death of the LoveMyth’, complemented by a fascinating video created by NYC artist Hypnodoll and featuring a sword swallowing performance by La Reine The Thrill.
This album reveals Conroy’s post-punk alter-ego, soaked in dark pop and dream wave richness, and drawing on ethereal and goth rock classics. While select tracks on this album are crowned with ethereal female vocals, Conroy also sings on this and two other tracks on this album.
“Lana’s music, and the way it shows her evolution and her personal journey, has been continually inspiring. I heard ‘Born To Die’ years after it came out and it was an album I listened to incessantly, often choosing it as a record I’d fall asleep to last thing at night,” says Ronan Conroy.
“Singing Lana songs is pretty challenging, but I wanted to try this one. I wanted to find a way to reinterpret the song in a way that fit this record, and the explosive distorted guitars and intensity of Mike Shinoda’s version of the Depeche Mode classic ‘Enjoy the Silence’ showed me the way. Charlie Nieland’s masterful command of synth, and his echoed Rickenbacker 8-string bass elevate the track to epic heights, all propelled by drumming by Justin Wierbonski (a.k.a. Demonic Sweaters)”.
Earlier, Conroy released ‘Double Helix’, a lush and dark reverie-filled track with entrancing vocals by Julie Dicterow (Oh Halo). This record also features vocals by Shannon Brown and Susan Hwang (Lusterlit).
Growing up in a musical family in Dublin, Conroy was exposed to an array of musical influences, ranging from new wave and post-punk to David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Elvis and Abba. His world changed at 15 when his mother loaned him her nylon string guitar and taught him a few chords, instantaneously unlocking a whole new world of songwriting. Years later, he would release two albums with Brooklyn’s The Listeners and go on to perform with gothic dreampop band Oh Halo on guitar and backing vocals from 2011 to 2014, during which time he released one album with them.
Since 2013, Conroy has immersed himself in the ‘Lovemyth’ project, this work culminating in ‘The Slow Death Of The LoveMyth’ LP, a collection influenced by the 80s/90s goth bands he grew up listening to, as well as ethereal darkwave bands he would be introduced to later.
As with all the music Conroy has released since 2013, this record was produced, engineered and mastered by Charlie Nieland at Capture Sound Studios. Frontman of Her Vanished Grace and Lusterlit, and a recognized solo artist in his own right, Nieland is a well-respected engineer and producer, known for his work with Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie and Scissors Sisters.
As of September 27, ‘Dark Paradise’ will be available digitally via Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where the full album (out on October 21) can also be pre-ordered.
