Diamond Shake has just released his new video for the track titled ‘Great New Meaning’. The fifth installment of his visual series and album titled ‘From Method to Madness‘. Diamond Shake (a.k.a. Matt Hitchens) has earned his creative stripes in more ways than one. To get a deeper insight into his struggles with depression as well as his fish out of water experience moving from London to L.A. I suggest listening to our exclusive interview with him and hear it in his own words.
To be honest, when I first heard his music he had my attention. After the interview, he has my respect. And I mean this in more ways than one. I have had bouts with depression, so I relate. But I hear the sheer genius in his music, so I admire. Diamond Shakes is brilliant. And with the added animation of French animator Dominique Bloink, I can truly believe how good minds can indeed think alike. After reviewing the other videos they have collaborated on, I can see a world they are creating in which the audio and video not only complement each other, they rely on each other.
Check out our Jammerzine Exclusive interview with Diamond Shake HERE.
Check out our other reviews of Diamond Shake HERE.
About Diamond Shake & ‘Great New Meaning’
Coupled with a beautiful video by animator Dom Bloink inspired by Egon Schiele and sumi-e/ink painting, ‘Great New Meaning’ is one of Diamond Shake’s more poignant turns in a series shaped by Hitchens’ accounts of mental health, addiction, and recovery all while fighting for his rights as an immigrant in America.
Growing up in London and playing in bands through his teens, Hitchens moved to Los Angeles seven years ago to pursue a solo music career. After a few failed projects, missed auditions, personal struggles, and a particularly bad visa experience, he decided to stop relying on other people and make the album that faced his demons head-on.
“It’s all about my mental health problems like depression, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, and addiction,” Hitchens says of From Method To Madness, his debut as Diamond Shake. “Each song is about a different one of those issues while also telling the story of making and releasing the album, ultimately ending in failure.”
Dour as that might seem, From Method To Madness (which came out in November of 2019) arrived with bluesy aplomb and Hitchens’ most candid lyrics to date about mental health. Considering every song on the album aims for the rafters with cinematic ambition, Madness practically lent itself to a visual accompaniment for all ten songs, which Hitchens has been working on with French animator Dominique Bloink.
‘Great New Meaning’ marks the fifth video in the visual series, which will continue throughout 2020.
LINKS:
http://www.diamondshake.com
https://www.instagram.com/thediamondshake
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUT0cqzCanrCsAlqgaZRqhQ
http://www.soundcloud.com/diamond-shake
