Devon - Somewhere In Nowhereland
“The future of music is very, very exciting indeed and is in good hands, especially if Devon is around!” – Jack Saunders (BBC Radio 1)
“a guitar-pop bop” – DIY
“Guitar-pop sensation” – The Line of Best Fit
“good indie-pop guaranteed to whack a smile on your face” – Dork
“bold, bolshy pieces of indie pop, splashed in colour, wit, and imagination” – Clash
Spanning across 7 sublime, glistening electro-pop tracks, it draws upon a plethora of influences to create a self-assured soundscape, marrying together ear worm melodies and effervescent synths, to showcase Devon’s effortlessly smooth artistry and diversity. From the anthenic opener of previous single ‘WARNING SIGNS’ to the acoustic closer ‘KURT COBAIN’, he leaves no stone unturned on this sonic endeavour.
The mixtape features previously single single ‘”I’M A MAN”‘, a Beck-inspired number that tackles toxic masculinity from the viewpoint of a man trying their best to adhere to stereotypes and archaic social norms.
Devon explains in more detail, “It touches on every possible reason as to why I’m not a ‘man’s man’, from anxiety, to being a skinny dude who likes to write songs, doesn’t exercise, is broke, isn’t doing the conventional thing in life and isn’t fully on top of his mental health. Its so so ridiculous and even worse when I’m typing it out. The chorus hook ‘I’m a man’ is like the bow on all the worries and anxiety that the verses touch on. The hook acts as the cover up for all the truth. Almost like the classic ‘I’m fine’ when asked how you are really doing.”
‘SOMEWHERE IN NOWHERELAND”s release follows an extensive debut run of headline shows around the UK for Devon as part of the National Lottery’s Revive Live event. Spanning across 11 dates, the singer-songwriter and producer visited Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow before finishing up in Totnes, Bath and Bournemouth.
Hailing from the Forest of Dean, where his more recent material has all been written and self-produced, the location of his home boasts to be one of the most remote areas in the UK. This place provides a backdrop and the kind of isolation of that fosters such a strong DIY ethic, as well a unique and curious outlook on which to draw inspiration. From his secluded base, Devon’s international fanbase keeps expanding online and now sees him sign with the multinational New York headquartered label ONErpm.
Devon’s highly successful run of singles from early 2020 to mid 2021 largely demonstrate his flair for colourful guitar pop hits. More recently ‘BULLETS’ proved he was able to excel in the alt-pop arena and ‘GIRLFRIEND SONG’ evidenced Devon’s diversity across genres as he revisits more indie-leaning soundscapes.
From his breakout single ‘I DON’T WANT 2 B UR FRIEND’ which has wracked up 5 million streams, to last year’s staggering sleeper hit ‘WARNING SIGNS’, Devon’s track record is so far spotless and positions this new artist as one to watch in 2023.