Nick Helgesen, the creative force behind the enigmatic Scrimshaw Porn, makes a bold and vulnerable return with his latest single, ‘Olivia’ — a hypnotic blend of indie-pop and dreamlike electronica that explores the complexities of identity and love.
Known for his introspective lyrics and adventurous sonic palette, Helgesen continues to push boundaries with ‘Olivia’ — a track that explores the sting of romantic vulnerability through a surreal, shimmering soundscape. Inspired by the painful moment of discovering his partner’s evolving identity and desires, the song captures the ache of being an afterthought with brutal honesty and surprising sweetness. “It’s like sweet jealousy wrapped in honey,” Helgesen says of the track’s emotional center.
Musically, ‘Olivia’ exists in the space between alt-pop and dream pop, pairing ethereal textures with Helgesen’s emotionally raw vocal performance. Drawing comparisons to early 2000s pop-punk tones à la Blink-182, layered with the modern indie shimmer of artists like Mac DeMarco and the moody resonance of Depeche Mode, the track crafts a sound that is uniquely its own.
The production is rich with texture and care. Written during a neuro music session, Helgesen discovered and fell in love with the ocean drum, which became a key element of the song’s atmosphere. Percussionist Kyle Sparks added additional layers, including electric guitar, while violinist Jessica Murphy contributed haunting, ambient string lines from Florida. Longtime co-producer Matt Ricci added the final touch, giving ‘Olivia’ its signature dreamy flavor.
With ‘Olivia’, Scrimshaw Porn continues to defy categorisation, weaving deeply personal narratives into lush sonic landscapes. Available now on all major streaming platforms, the track is a must-listen for fans of genre-bending, emotionally rich music.
Q&A
Has your blending of genres & styles always come organically to you?
It has. I think, like most songwriters, I write songs based on who I am. I never try to fit into a particular genre, but rather, express my own stories through styles of music that have influenced me. This has been a very diverse blend -I grew up listening to 60’s and 70’s pop music and jazz (I’d say Kind of Blue by Miles Davis takes it for most played album for me). My dad was constantly on the piano, a brain for each hand, blazing boogie woogie. My mom was an amazing alto and read classical music on the piano. The Beatles had a great impact on me. I discovered Sgt. Pepper’s when I was 11, randomly pulling out the album in a sundrenched room on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia. I listened to it many times in a row. I’m a diehard Paul guy. Later, I became completely addicted to alternative British music in the 80s -The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, New Order, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, etc. These were my most formative years and the musical flavors that clung to my soul in those years definitely shine through in a lot of Scrimshaw Porn tracks. I’m explicitly an ear player and although I had always composed piano songs since early childhood, I really didn’t begin to write full songs until I was in college. At a weekend orientation to see if I wanted to commit to the University of Vermont, my upperclassmen hosts were off doing something for several hours so I got really high and happened to find a cassette with Wild World by Cat Stevens. I had known the song since birth, but had never really listened to it until then. I think I replayed it at least 17 times. Coulda been the weed. In any event, it’s a gorgeous track, and it might have been a spark for me. Shortly after, when I landed in a room with my roommate who had a keyboard that could exact overdubs, I was hooked on writing. I’ve never looked back.
How do you balance putting your genuine emotions about real-life struggles into your songs without suffering for your art too much? This is an emotionally charged song.
Well, writing songs is certainly a form of therapy -maybe the suffering is blunted in the short term and more cathartic in the long term. Either way, I just have to get it all out. I can’t write without having my struggles and emotions come to visit me, lyrically. I decided somewhat recently that I wasn’t going to give a shit who I offend with my music and that I was going to be entirely without filters. My songs have become more honest over time. I have quite a few nearly finished but unreleased songs that hit pretty hard. They are sometimes cutting, harsh, critical, or exceedingly naughty. Olivia is a song about finding out you’re the second string, an afterthought. Ouch. I’m just speaking my mind and wearing my true emotions on my sleeve. I don’t mind expressing pain, rejection, vulnerability, etc., and Olivia is no exception. The songs that cut me deepest are in this vein. Please listen to At Seventeen by Janis Ian. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it without a good cry.
Musically, this really does span from everything between the 80s/90s & now, who are some of your deeper influences from each decade?
Again, the 80’s were probably the most influential for me -in terms of liking many of their songs: The Cure, The Smiths, Psych Furs, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, The Fixx, New Order, The Police, Squeeze, probably Queen… There were many standouts with a few tracks that I loved -Modern English, Nine Inch Nails, Duran Duran, INXS, Siouxsie, Level 42, Talk Talk, Eurythmics, Soft Cell, Stone Roses, Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Holding Back the Years by Simply Red is a heart melter, what a vocal. In the 90, I was listening to grungy stuff like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Smashing Pumpkins. In the right mood, I’d listen to Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, or Norah Jones. I really loved Soul Coughing for their use of cacophony, likewise Radiohead with their never-repeating, hard-to-follow rhythms and melodies. Straight up harder, alt pop stuff was amazing -Stone Temple Pilots, Oasis, Green Day. Omg, how could I not yet mention Jane’s Addiction, yikes! Being from Boston, I had great pride in The Pixies (also, the loudest band ever, love Doolittle). I’m missing so many. I really never stop listening to older music I love, but I add on to my playlists. In the 2000s, I got into bands like LCD Soundsystem, more Nine Inch Nails, Weezer, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie, 311, Gorillaz, more Radiohead, Tool, Blink 182, Muse… All the while, I am often in the mood for Dave Brubeck, Carol King, James Taylor, Sade, or any number of older, fairly timeless tracks. Currently, I’m in love with Tame Impala, Clairo, Tennis, Grizzly Bear, MGMT, Sudan Archives, and so many more. I will kick myself after this interview for forgetting so many. PS, there is not a single song I’ve written in the last 20 years that does not have a hidden lyrical nod to at least one of my favorite artists…
Talk to us more about the drumming on this track; the rhythm really is a focal point.
I think the percussion in Olivia is effective because it’s super simple, a sparse, redundant kick that works really well with the hypnotic bass and interspersed hi hat, tambourine, occasional splash, triangle, or bell. My favorite is the ocean drum, which I discovered in a neuro music session. Simply beautiful. It sounds like a gently crashing wave and adds great drama. I think it feels like a gentler version of the intro sound from Like Cockatoos by The Cure. There is no snare on the track, maybe a first for me. I did most of the percussion myself on this track, with some excellent additions by Kyle Spark, who can play nearly anything. This is fairly unusual, but not being a drummer allowed me to cherry-pick from sounds that felt really good without having to scrub or tweak a full roster of kit sounds a drummer might play. The resulting space allows the story to unfold with vocals front and center and sonic details shining through.
Lastly, I had to look up what Scrimshaw art is; it makes your artist name all the funnier. Could you explain to our listeners what Scrimshaw is and how the name came to you?
Fukyea, thank you for realizing it’s funny! Yes. Scrimshaw is etching or carving images and often text into whale’s teeth, baleen, or tusks or bones. I was in the New Bedford Whaling Museum a few years ago and realized that scrimshaw porn is actually a thing. In the early 1800s, a crew would be out on a whaling ship, often for years, without the company of women, and would carve pseudo-pornographic images from their imaginations. The results are all over the map, but often intricate, beautiful, and incredibly artistic. I needed a musical rebranding and decided to adopt the name Scrimshaw Porn. It just cracked me up. Like the content from most of the songs and videos I do, I write content that makes people scratch their heads a bit. I can’t stop.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/ScrimshawPornNick
https://www.instagram.com/scrimshawlicious/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2RjygrvbEtgn6W3boSBX20