BUZZ KULL [Eora // Sydney] is a formidable force in darkwave, dark electro + underground electronic music. The solo project from Marc Dwyer, who just finished their most ambitious European tour to date, including sets at Cold Hearted Festival (DE), Wavefest IX (NL), Ombra Festival (SP), Katzenklub Festival (DE) amongst the likes of Lebanon Hanover, The KVB, Xeno & Oaklander + so many more.
Their recently released third LP, Fascination [Avant! Records] carries forward a club body music direction — think elements of EBM à la Front 242 and Front Line Assembly mixed with aspects of Belgian new beat and notes of British synthpop. Perfect for both the darkroom dancefloor and drowning out reality.
JESS WILLOUGHBY chatted to Dwyer ahead of their first-ever Boorloo // Perth live appearance at Badlands Bar on Saturday, December 10.
You’ve come a long way from an emerging bedroom artist with BUZZ KULL in 2010, to just completing your most ambitious European tour to date + the recent release of your third LP, Fascination. How do you think this project has come into its own over the past 12 years?
I rarely look back on the early days of Buzz Kull. When I first started the project, I suffered from depression and didn’t like to leave the house. Eventually, I threw myself in the deep end and started performing live and touring overseas alone. This marked a turning point; it felt like I had been given a second chance at life, and I started feeling comfortable in my own skin. It was difficult to regain that strength again after lockdown, and the recent tour took a toll on me both mentally and physically. I could not have done it if it weren’t for the love and support from my beautiful friends and partner.
Any highlights from the recent Euro tour?
The success of this tour was a shock to me. The shows were fairly packed out, considering a lot of them were on weekdays.
One of the strange experiences was hearing people sing along to the lyrics. Initially, I thought it was a weird echo on the stage, or that my vocal pedal was playing up. It took seeing videos I was tagged in after the show to realise it was actually people singing back at me.
Considering you had a brush with death on your first European tour, any absolute shit-show points from the recent tour?
Nothing on this tour compared to what happened back then, but I did have to jump through hoops to make it from Naples to Macerata. The trains were cancelled because of strikes. So I had to jump in a taxi from Macerata to Fabriano — about an hour and a half away — to make a connecting train on time.
I didn’t mention my urgency to the driver but, based on the break-neck speed he was driving through the narrow, winding roads of the Italian countryside, I think he got the picture. The reckless weaving around other cars and oncoming trucks made it feel like I was in the video game Need for Speed, or that I was a backseat passenger in a vehicle being driven by a child for the very first time. That said, I just managed to make it in time for the train. I had to run to the platform with a minute to spare.
Was there an overarching goal for your performances on this massive tour + did you think it was achieved?
I went into this tour with low expectations, after hearing stories of other artists cancelling tours, or finishing them feeling disheartened. So I was preparing for the worst. I just wanted to push through and see what happens. Having new songs to perform live and the album helped with my drive, and gave me the opportunity to bring a new energy to the live show.
You’ve previously mentioned that you prefer recording over performing live. Has that changed after this tour?
Both have their moments. I think trying to survive as an artist, you need to tour so your work can be heard. To continue touring, you must continue to make new music. Ideally, I wish I could just record. I work in TV and film in Australia and I love what I do. I have to sometimes sacrifice my work to go on tour to keep things in motion.
What does Fascination mean to you, in the context of your current release?
These past years with minimal human interaction, everyone had to make the most with what they had. Fascination was making something with nothing.
Musically, Fascination is quite a distance from 2018’s New Kind Of Cross. Can you give a breakdown of what influenced the direction of your latest release?
I struggled to complete a lot of music I was working on for the past few years. There was confusion clouding my mind, as I am sure a lot of other artists felt the same with the lingering thoughts of what the future held for the possibility of continuing to exist as an artist.
I went into the second lockdown in 2021 with a plan to stay in my room and focus on music and see where it would take me. After a week, I had the bones of the album complete and continued further to record and collaborate and experiment until I was all out of ideas. I had no initial plan for direction; I just wanted that feeling of completing at least one song again and came out with an album and more.
Can you pick one track from your latest + explore the story behind how it came about?
Do You See came from my experience of growing up in a blue-collar household, and the expectation to live my life on the well-trodden path. As a child, I always wanted to taste the forbidden fruit, and it made me who I am today.
RITUALS will be your first time performing in Boorloo // Perth. After so many years of Hearts of Darkness harassing you to come perform, what made you finally say yes?
Right time, right place, right album… perhaps. I think it was always based around schedule. I was touring overseas so much before lockdown that it took over my life. I dedicated most of my time back home to working my day job, which made it difficult to commit to shows here in Australia.
Can you hint at what you are concocting for your set tomorrow?
Fifty per cent Fascination, 30 per cent New Kind Of Cross, 20 per cent Chroma.
What would be your ideal contemporary Australian gig (in an ideal world) and why?
Arnhem Land would be lovely, I’ve never been to Northern Territory before. There is also another reason but that’s a secret. One that those who know me personally will already know.
Catch BUZZ KULL live on Saturday, December 10 at Badlands Bar. Tickets available now here.