PHOTO: ALEXANDER THOMPSON | The current diversion into isolation has silenced the hustle of many emerging artists, but not for multi-instrumentalist Dräger—he’s been artistically thriving. Holed up in his apartment with his girlfriend and taking notes on “how the desperation affects us all,” he wrote and recorded 30 songs in 2020. At the recommendation of his publishing company, Bankrobber/ Rough Trade, the songs turned into a full LP, Goths à la Discothèque, set to be released this April on Trash Casual Records, followed by a vinyl release.
Dräger, a Brooklyn based experimental artist, is the superimposed sleek persona of Spencer Drager—writing, recording, producing, mixing and mastering his own music, much like Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker’s single vision driven production. “Dräger allows me to go where I want to go in the moment,” he explains, “I just hate living in a box.” A formidable undertaking done right, Dräger’s lucid dreamworld is a synthpop exploration of the snares of our self-absorbed and anxious digital world.
“The Villain You Need,” the first single off of Goths à la Discothèque, an album he says that is “not super dark but it’s not purely in the bliss of dance. There are a lot of brooding moments and some political moments, but it’s all easy to keep a party going and most importantly, there’s just a lot of attitude while still maintaining vulnerability.” Alluring and introspective, his music is for those who find value in irony but still want to let loose.
“The Villain You Need,” is in stores now.
