A dynamic jack of all musical trades, Sydney artist Driftwood. returns today with a molten new single 3AM, also featuring R&B maverick LVNDVN. Showcasing Driftwood.’s significant creative arsenal as a multi-disciplinary whiz, 3AM drifts between lush, sinewy soundscapes and ambitious storytelling, with an accompanying self-directed and self-edited music video also dropping today. Independent, innovative and insatiably eclectic, Driftwood. continues his burgeoning rise into 2022 in glossy fashion with this brand new single, alongside four upcoming performances at The Great Escape in the UK and two London shows as part of the festivals’ warm-up week.
3AM offers a cocoon of contemporary R&B around a flexing and fluctuating dance hall pocket; from percolating instrumentals to serpentine vocals, Driftwood. flawlessly stages a misty, groove-soaked moment in time, complete with guest vocals from New York-based R&B artist LVNDVN who wrote and recorded his parts remotely before sending them back to Driftwood. to fuse together. Produced by Driftwood. and Mitchell Sloan, 3am unfurls and wields its slow-burning magic in just under three minutes; but the hypnotic wiles linger long after the track fades away into the night. A short but silken journey into dark moments and escapism, 3AM evolved from a single groove during a Driftwood. jam session. Speaking on the underlying narratives and ultimate creation behind 3AM, Driftwood. says, “3AM is about being in the wrong place at the right time, but still being lost in my own world even in the most extreme environments. I actually was jamming with my friend Hunter Farlow. I’m quite eclectic in my influences so there are probably more than I even realise, but for the most part it was just a nice fluid groove that I loved and started singing on.”
The video for 3AM is the perfect visual accompaniment for the moody sway underpinning the overall track, with sultry aesthetics and woozy, red-hued shots capturing the lyrical ennui. Darkly lit like the true late night escapades the song title pays homage to, the video was also directed and edited by Driftwood. himself once again, as Driftwood. explains, “I don’t use professional studios, I direct and edit my own videos and work with a select one or two hand-picked DOPs who I know and have worked with before. I know exactly what I’m trying to achieve on my shots and exactly how to get it with a small and effective team. Extra bodies can slow the flow and stifle the creativity.”
An artist truly in scintillating command of every aspect of his creative journey, Driftwood. relentlessly presents as a breath of fresh air in the oversaturated music industry, treading the wavering line between reality and more etheareal realms. An artist equally inspired by modern R&B and soul and elements of high-street fashion, architecture and street culture, while also wielding formidable skills as a singer, songwriter, music producer, engineer, director and editor, Driftwood. consistently delivers nuanced and unforgettable moments – and there’s even more new material on the way in the not-too-distant future, as he reveals, “I’m currently in America working with some top producers on new music. I’m also shooting videos and chasing aesthetics to the moon. I’m excited to share what I’ve been creating