Q&A: Virtual Perfection Invites Listeners to a Cosmic Disco in New Album ‘Energy Mirror: A Dance Odyssey’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KYLEE WIENS ☆
Photography Credit: Carina Allen
COSMIC, EFFERVESCENT AND WHIMSICAL — yet, featuring dark sonic twists interwoven into a complex thematic tapestry: get ready for Virtual Perfection Cowboy’s newest release. Energy Mirror: A Dance Odyssey is the culmination of NYC’s Dash Lunde’s musical and artistic exploration of feeling through sound. The album was released in partial segments until the full late November drop, and Luna has been fortunate enough to catch up with VPC throughout this journey.
We recently sat down again to chat all-things re: the new album, more about Lunde’s artistic process, and what he is excited for listeners to take away from this release. Read on for more details, and don’t forget to check out Energy Mirror: A Dance Odyssey on all streaming platforms.
Photography Credit: Carina Allen
LUNA: First of all, congrats on the full release! How are you feeling?
VPC: Thank you! I feel really good. I still can’t believe I got it all done. It was a massive undertaking, but I’m super happy with how it turned out.
LUNA: Totally. I love it! I’ve been playing it while driving, cleaning—anything that needs a bit of energy.
VPC: Oh, that’s awesome. I’m glad you’ve been enjoying it.
LUNA: Absolutely. Is there a particular moment on the album, a song, or even a production element you’re especially proud of?
VPC: There are a few things. Overall, I’m really proud of how the story came together. This is my first concept album with a fully mapped-out narrative. I thought about using different vocal collaborators for each character, but it got logistically complicated. Instead, I worked with an actor I met at a gaming convention. She’s a cosplayer and has a background in Shakespearean theater. She did the voiceover for the whole album, and it turned out more cohesive than I’d expected. It feels like this mix of an audiobook and an album, which I love.
I also love how the narration captures the spoken-word feel of old-school house music. It has that poetic quality while telling the story. Another proud moment is the track “Nowhere.” It started as an instrumental, but I added guitar for the final version. This year, I’ve been moving back to live instruments, and recording that guitar part was really fun.
LUNA: That’s amazing. Was there a particular event or idea that inspired the album, or was it more of a gradual process?
VPC: It started gradually. My ideas often begin with the music—just sound and emotion before any concrete story. A big inspiration was a Bollywood movie I love, Disco Dancer. Watching it again, I started seeing it as a sort of retelling of the Krishna story, with all this spiritual symbolism I hadn’t noticed before. That sparked the concept of a mystical dance story.
As I developed the idea, I started experimenting with representing emotions through sound rather than lyrics. I imagined these emotions as cosmic beings—gods or goddesses—and the story became about a higher-dimensional being taking a human form to win a dance competition. It symbolizes the human journey of connecting with emotions to become whole.
LUNA: That’s so cool. It kind of reminds me of Inside Out, in the sense of exploring emotions through a journey.
VPC: That’s a great comparison! It’s awesome that you felt like you were on a journey while listening. That’s exactly what I hoped for.
LUNA: Definitely. It feels immersive, like you’re part of the story. Do you feel the album reflects where you are in life right now?
VPC: It does. It captures a lot of the last few years, starting during the pandemic, which was a time of deep introspection for me. Now that it’s done, I’m already working on new music, but the album feels like a reflection of that period.
LUNA: What was the hardest part of making the album?
VPC: The sheer scope of it. I like doing everything myself—writing, producing, mixing, mastering—which was a huge challenge. But it pushed me to ask for help for the first time. I hired a manager, which was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
LUNA: What advice would you give to artists working on their own albums or creative projects?
VPC: Just do it. Don’t let the fear of imperfection hold you back. It’s better to release something than to let it sit unfinished. Ambition is good, even if you don’t achieve everything you imagined. You’ll learn and grow from every project.
LUNA: That’s great advice. What’s been the most rewarding part of making this album?
VPC: Learning new things and pushing myself creatively. The process itself felt like a journey, and I’m proud of what I accomplished. Collaborating with talented people, like the voice actor Juby, has been a highlight. It’s also been rewarding to hear how listeners connect with the story.
LUNA: That’s wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your process. It’s been great to hear more about your journey.
