LONER STATUE is the darkwave solo project of San Francisco’s Zach Dighans, also known for his great shoegaze/dream pop band called Pure Hex. The moniker formed naturally during a time of intense isolation as a means for self-reflection and exploration of newly evolved sounds and production processes. Zach’s new venture takes cues from 80’s goth pop, infusing it with a modern touch similar to Choir Boy or Black Marble, and today we’re thrilled to shine a light on this young talent and give you his great new cinematic video for the song “Controller”!
“…a cerebral haunt of illustrative synth and ornamental guitar textures that dance over the framework of precisely driven bass. Like an opaque memory, warm yet distant slowly withdrawing the harder we attempt to grasp.
Loner Statue is a sonic utterance calling from the annals of isolation, yet all we are left to hear are residual echoes.” – Ian Hodges
For his recent single premiere on CvltNation, comments Zach: “The song melded together what originally felt like two entirely separate musical pieces; one piece was the backbone of the song (the instrumentation and production) and the other was the lyrics and vocals. The instrumentation definitely gives off a bit more of a happier, relieving feeling, while the lyrics almost haunt and cry out to the progression of the song. This wasn’t intentional, but I think this is ultimately the metaphor for how I was feeling at the time – just dissociated from my surroundings and trying to play it cool and tell myself everything will be alright.
The lyrics were written as a sort of journal-like reflection – I would play the verse and chorus through and just sit down and frantically jot down what was going through my head, and at that time most of my thoughts were anxieties centered around feeling lonely and disconnected from everyone and everything around me. As a coping mechanism, I gave thought to the idea of fate, and how we may not have as much control over our thoughts and actions as we may think. I guess believing that what I was going through was out of my control allowed me some sort of consolation.”
Video credits: Director – Jack Boston / Cinematographer – Michael Enos / Editor- Gaby Scott / Gaffer – Andy Haney, 1st AC/Steadicam- Dan Paddock, Grip – Paul Overstrom
For every city, there’s always a new group of young musicians breathing life into the scene, and it seems that Zach Dighans and his friends will be spearheading throwing shows and making things happen in San Francisco, in a post-COVID reality.
Asked about his inspirations and top new up and coming bands worth a check, Zach says: ”For the evolution of new/dark-wave music – – bands like Mannequin, Lebanon Hanover, Molchat Doma – all great up and coming bands that continue to pave the way for a new take on 80s-revival music.”
For LONER STATUE, other top punk / post-punk favorites are Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Chameleons, Institute, and DIAT. “Ironically, I am inspired when I am alone and secluded for a few days at a time. This forces me to write music on the spot.”
“A lot of coffee and locking myself in the studio.” – he adds
“Hearing nuances in production style and tones from a new or familiar song. Messing around with whatever synths I can get my hands on. Putting melodies over drum loops as a way of arranging songs.”
