We Speak Music
Q&A with Swiss-based artist Jack Rush
We caught up with Jack Rush following the release of his latest single, “Tic Toc World”.
Can you please tell us more about your background and what was your starting point in the music industry?
I’ve been a musician since my teenage years but only got around to writing and publishing songs at 66 years young!
Your new single “Tic Toc World” addresses the impact of social media. What inspired you to write about this theme?
Well the mostly virtual (fake) world of social media is obviously a hot topic these days and even moreso with the advent of AI. And as I wonder how such trash emerges in our social milieu including in the music, it seems to me to be driven by algorithms fed mostly by 16 year olds. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no old-fashioned prude and I love today’s youth, but honestly I can’t find a more plausible explanation for the dumbing down of our society including music culture.
How did collaborating with Marcelo Bertozzo influence the production of this track?
Marcelo is an incredible talent and he also seems to find just the right strokes to embellish my songs. I am so lucky to work with him.
How has your journey as a Swiss-based artist impacted your music career and the themes you explore?
I guess my music emerges from somewhere in the unconscious and the feelings that need expression. It seems most of my songs relate to my emotional state at the time of writing them or whatever is on my mind at the time. It’s very challenging but it’s been a lot of fun and a great source of satisfaction. Music for me is the gift that just keeps on giving.
What message do you hope listeners take away from “Tic Toc World”?
The message is that it would be best to keep the influence of social media in perspective and not let it poison us and our society, but I’m not sure that’s possible at this point.
Your music often critiques contemporary society. How important is it for you to use your platform to comment on social issues?
Actually Tic Toc World is so far the only song with lyrics on social issues. I enjoy making music whether or not it contains a social message, but if possible I may try to write more songs about social issues in the future, we’ll just have to see what I come up with.
What can fans expect next from you after the release of “Tic Toc World”?
I’ll be coming out with an end of summer banger, and then in the fall I have an album coming out, so stay tuned!
It is easy to see why a songwriter might be drawn to a story like this. Relationships rarely finish as neatly as people would like, and the space between “it is over” and “maybe we should try again” can produce plenty of material. For Dysmusia, that space becomes the setting for latest single “In your eyes”, out now through Now Listen.
The Irish singer-songwriter has a knack for keeping his writing close to everyday life, and this track benefits from that approach. He looks at an old relationship that has already gone through several attempts at making things work, then focuses on what happens when those feelings start creeping back in.
What makes the song appealing is the balance between sincerity and a lighter touch. Dysmusia is clearly invested in the situation, but he does not turn every moment into a grand declaration. There is room for a bit of humour and hesitation along the way, which keeps the song feeling natural.
The arrangement gives the song a pleasing lift. Acoustic guitar sits at the heart of it, with the dropped tuning adding some richness and a second guitar bringing extra colour. The result has folk at its core but carries enough indie-rock influence to give it a little extra punch.
Dysmusia’s Irish background is another part of the picture. Based between Antrim and Dublin and coming from a musical family, he has developed a style that puts storytelling alongside contemporary guitar sounds.
“In your eyes” brings those influences together without making a fuss about them. It is a personable, melodic track about feelings that refuse to follow a neat timetable, delivered with enough warmth to make the story easy to get behind.
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