Q&A: Entering into the Soft, Sweet World of wilter in "not looking out the window anymore”
TRANSITIONING BETWEEN A WORLD OF STRENGTH AND SOLITUDE, HARMONY AND HEARTBREAK - LA based singer songwriter and producer Will Durkee, transports us into a melancholic realm of sanctuary and seclusion with his latest track “not looking out the window anymore”. Inspired by the likes of Bob Dylan, wilter’s latest release is etched with latent themes of divine melancholy that embody an artist’s devotion to embark on a journey of self-discovery for themselves and the listener alike.
A profound yearning for sanctuary yet, combined with a desire to push oneself beyond the love and loss that inspired the track, is prevalent within wilter’s vision, coining it as a portrayal of a “dream-like trip and the journey back down the foggy mountain road back to the reality of the city.”
The underlying theme of self-discovery within the song is solidified sonically by electronic inspired synths; in this sense the instrumental transports us into the ever surreal, mesmerizing realm of solitude. The tension that builds throughout the track, for wilter, is at the core of his artistic vision, intended to draw upon the natural, free flowing production within his music, which evolves into an almost uncomfortable, yet freeing experience for the listener.
Working with musician and photographer Caity Krone, “not looking out the window anymore” is crystallised with natural imagery to encapsulate the surreal, yet naturalistic imagery within wilter’s music. Clearly, “not looking out of the window anymore” does indeed embody wilter’s vision, to “push the bounds of what “songwriter music”” truly is, as the track is illustrative of a process that, visually, sonically, and lyrically encourages us to open up our hearts, and find our way back home.
Read below to learn more about wilter’s latest project, and his upcoming plans for the year ahead.
LUNA: Congrats on the release of “not looking out the window anymore”! What has your journey within the music industry looked like so far? Were there any particular inspirations, looking back, that made you want to start out as an artist?
WILTER: Thank you! I’ve always been songwriting and performing but being an artist was not something I seriously allowed myself to pursue. I studied something practical (computer programming) in college. It got me more comfortable with bending tech in strange ways but ultimately led me to an early quarter life crisis where I turned away from tech to devote myself to being an artist. Since then it’s just been an exploration of production, songwriting, and myself - I see wilter as the byproduct of that exploration.
My biggest inspiration when I started songwriting was Bob Dylan. I lived on The Freewhelin’ Bob Dylan for a lot of high school. He has a quote “I was born a long way from where I belong and I am on my way home.” To me that is how my journey with music has felt and I am always in a process of finding my way home through it.
LUNA: Can you touch upon the inspiration behind the track? Were there any specific moments or emotions that fuelled the concept of the song?
WILTER: I had just gone through a breakup with my girlfriend and we decided to take a trip to the mountains to get closure on a positive note. This song is about that dream-like trip and the journey back down the foggy mountain road back to the reality of the city. It was a time of transition in my life where I felt like many things were leaving me while I was paralyzed in place.. broken glass around my feet.
LUNA: I love how in the track, you talk about senses and feelings that are quite intimate, especially within lyrics like “I had trouble breathing in the morning” and even mentioning how the “fireplace is too hot” for example. It appears to make the track feel a lot more personal, and relatable for us as listeners… what were your intentions behind these lyrics?
WILTER: This was one of those rare songs that just bled out of me in one sitting. Every part from the lyrics, to the melody, to the instrumental and production still feels so true and flows in such a natural way. It’s my favourite song I’ve ever written. Writing the lyrics on this one was a cathartic exercise for me to process my emotions. I was just telling the truth and listing details that stuck out to me.
LUNA: The instrumental appears to heighten as the song progresses, to the point where I started to feel consumed by it, sonically, in such a soothing and mesmerizing way. Was there any reason behind this shaping of the instrumental when you produced the track?
WILTER: Production for me is all about tension. Building a song to the point where it’s borderline uncomfortable - then tumbling back down to a soothing and familiar place. I like to see how far I can push my songs without breaking them.
LUNA: The artwork that accompanies the track relating to natural imagery seems to fit the escapist, acoustic sentiment of the track. Would you say that the artwork is symbolic of anything in particular, and what does the process look like when you’re creating the visuals that accompany your music?
WILTER: Just trying to capture the surreal nature of the track. I’m lucky enough to work with Caity Krone, an incredible musician and one of the best young portrait photographers. I usually have a clear idea of the location and general vibe of the shots I am looking for but struggle to storyboard anything out visually. Once we get shooting it is mostly improvisation and Caity’s talent in adjusting to and capturing my vision.
LUNA: How do you see your music evolving in the future? Is “not looking out the window anymore” representative sonically or lyrically of any other tracks you have lined up?
WILTER: To me the wilter project is all about trying to push the bounds of what “songwriter music” is. For now that means a lot of synths, sampling, and pedals. But as I keep learning and experimenting I’m sure that will change.
LUNA: Are there any other upcoming projects you would like to talk about?
WILTER: The music video for the track will be dropping a week after the release - I’m really happy with how it visually matches the feel of the track. My debut EP will be out in early March along with some of my first live performances as wilter. I’m incredibly excited and have lots in store for the rest of 2022 :)
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