13 July 2023 - 0 Comments

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Spending every day putting effort into recovery means that day13n is no stranger to hard work, or the benefits it reaps, and that is evident in the work required to create the snowballing momentum that he’s built leading up to his debut project.

On top of an active array of creative social media campaigns, tailored specifically to each single, day13n has embarked on aggressive guerilla marketing, through use of stickers and posters around Auckland, and has created a distinct, and recognisable brand, through the character GRUMP13, who features on all his stickers, merch, album covers, and even has his own TikTok account.

Layers of poetic meaning, and unfiltered, raw vulnerability define the sound of this album, which takes listeners through the story of day13n’s battle with mental illness and addiction, showing us all that even at our lowest points, there is always a glimmer of hope, and all it takes is a little bit of belief in ourselves to pull us out.

The album is rich with collaborations and support from both new and experienced members of the New Zealand music scene, such as Abraham Kunin, and Bronson Price, all funded through the support of community programs such as Te Karanga, and Toi Ora, which further lends itself to the message the project represents.

This is a tale of discovery, marred with guilt, self-loathing, and a plethora of mistakes… but through it all, a desperate yearning for something more, and an honest desire to make amends shines through, and asks listeners if they too can find the strength within to forgive themselves for their own wrongdoings, and learn self-love regardless of it all.

Recovery is a story with no ending, and the finale of this album past 71V3$ draws this into focus. Reusing the lyric “I market my marred arms at walmart” which is present in the first track of the album as well, reminds listeners of the cyclical, non-linear nature of the healing process; and the content of the song, focusing simply on reflecting on the past, and accepting it radically, shows us that there is no clear-cut happy ending, but instead, a feeling of peace in the blunt acceptance of what is, and what was.

This genre-bending project had its release show hosted at the multidisciplinary underground arts Mecca ‘Nicegoblins Collective’ on July 7th, with a blend of multimedia showcases, support from across artistic pursuits, no alcohol sales in celebration of sobriety, and entry by koha to showcase community, and accessibility.

The captivating project, which both harrows and enraptures, relates to all through it’s raw, sometimes unpolished sound. It invites us to be an active part of the creative process, as we develop together as artist and audience. 7/137/ leaves a lasting impact, hoping to inspire us all to be the best versions of ourselves, and come together in mutual growth.

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