Fierce Mild: Top Five Influences For 'Dasein'

Fierce Mild's recent captivating creation, 'Dasein' is just further proof as to why everyone with a sane mind should be watching this artsy post-rock group very closely.

'Dasein' is part of a trilogy from the band and was written to be a visual poem, where the placement of the words on the page is directly related to the meaning of the overall piece. According to the Melbourne band, the song was written in response to the confusion and struggle that we humans feel as we claw our way to finding some kind of identity, and the reading of this visual poem reflects that. With a full-length album most likely on the way this year, and with the band releasing sublime, thoughtful composition after sublime, thoughtful composition, these are the five key influences that the band pulled from for 'Dasein'. Have a read below! 

Radiohead - 'Sit Down / Stand Up'

"I love the way this piece uses abrasive interjections on top of serenity that somehow don’t detract from the beautiful melancholy. This sort of thinking influenced the push and pull of the guitar lines that interact directly with the vocals throughout."

E.E. Cummings - ‘In Just’

"A beautiful poem that seems to physically invoke childhood through its spacing and stumbling and joining of words. Simultaneously careless, free and confused."

Isaac Albeniz - 'Asturias'

"The finger picking in this piece is undoubtedly iconic. It’s a piece you don’t know that you know. I was definitely influenced by this when creating the part that forms the bedrock of Dasein. I often weave my classical background into our writing. This main line is static, but shifts timing within itself. The synth lines are also static but take a different timing to the guitar. The idea is to have all these overlapping, conflicting selves struggling trapped inside a body but somehow hurtling towards a definite conclusion." 

Bonobo - 'Stay the Same'

"Without getting to bogged down in nerdy details, Dasein is not a straight 4/4 piece of music and could have ended up sounding silly and full of technical indulgence if we weren’t careful. The way the trip hop style beat in this gorgeous Bonobo track is split up and displaced to allow moments of breath, poise and flow was the perfect inspiration for allowing Dasein to do the same."

Skip James - 'Devil Got My Woman'

"The open D minor tuning is unashamedly taken from this stunningly understated artist. The melancholy minor key with all the dynamic lift and poise coming from the picking of fingers that seem to just ooze soul still baffles me in James’ work. Definitely a big guitar and vocal influence on Dasein."

Stream 'Dasein' in all of its brief, haunting glory below.