27 September 2024 - 0 Comments

Perth-based New Zealand songwriter Damien Binder releases Sanctuary, the second 2024 single from his forthcoming new EP, distributed by Big Pop Digital.

t the heart of Damien Binder's 2023 album Bright Side were his world class songs of melodic and optimistic modern rock. He's taken the momentum from that release, and its highly successful blend of his writing/performing and the mixing/production of Matt Gio (Rudimental, San Cisco, Birds of Tokyo), and carried it through to his forthcoming new EP.

The EP's first single Crazy brings to mind Spoon, 78-81 era Stones & early Sheryl Crow, combined with the timeless pop songwriting of Neil Finn and the modern production approach of an artist such as Beck. Premiered by Backseat Mafia, they described the song as having "... subtle shades of Springsteen and even Beck in the immersive delivery, with more than a touch of the delicate pop sensibilities of fellow antipodeans Crowded House."

Now Binder reveals the new single Sanctuary, a concise and upbeat piece of classic and astute pop songwriting that resonates with rich acoustic guitar and atmospheric keyboards. The chorus rings out loud as the full band enters the fray, adding beautiful layers of rhythm and melody.

Damien describes the song as being about "a place of safety and comfort amidst the turbulence of the world," a truly universal theme given the times we live in.

While Crazy was upbeat and infectious, Sanctuary is a more reflective and wistfully optimistic song. Both tracks herald the start of another new chapter in the career of Binder, an artist who has been constantly exploring and refining his songwriting craft across three decades.

Since Damien Binder's self-titled debut in the early 2000s, the APRA Silver Scroll nominated artist has released five acclaimed solo albums. The most recent, Bright Side, was featured in Rolling Stone Australia and NZ Musician and received a glowing 8.9 star review from Backseat Mafia.

"Like a museum of sonic treasures, Bright Side collates Binder's enticing releases under one roof, unearthing a few more delights and in the process delivering one of the strongest and most cohesive releases of the year." - Backseat Mafia

Prior to pursuing his solo career, Binder fronted New Zealand rock band Second Child who shot to fame with their 1990's albums Magnet and Slinky and appeared on NZ TV shows Max TV and Juice TV.

Second Child took the stage at the Auckland stop of the Big Day Out (1996) and played supports with the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain, Hunters & Collectors, Nirvana, Fugazi and The Rollins Band. As a solo artist, Binder has supported some of the world's leading international acts including David Gray, Marianne Faithfull and Ani Di Franco.

Sanctuary is out now digitally via Bandcamp and other streaming services.

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