Introducing Interview: DYVR - GigslutzGigslutz

Having spent some time alone travelling, Gigslutz favourite Adam Cleaver has come back, decided to re-brand – change his artist name to DYVR, and take a new direction with his sound.

Teaming up with producer Matt Harris (Hawk), DYVR creates cinematic, electronic sonic delights filled with his distinctive impassioned vocals.

With his beguiling new single out now, we caught up with Adam to find out a bit more about his new project…

Hi DYVR! We’ve been big fans of Adam Cleaver for a while now, what made you decide to change your sound?
I was working on a lot of different things around the time of my last single as Adam Cleaver. I was feeling a bit uncertain and decided to take a break and write for a while. I’d always been connected to this type of music. I grew listening to it and so for me it felt pretty natural. ‘Half Awake’ was the first song that I wrote in that period that signalled to me where I wanted things to go, and it’s been a pretty rewarding process ever since.

Can you tell us a bit about your new single ‘Half Awake’?
‘Half Awake’ came out of that time of uncertainty and I think you can feel that. A lot of the references that are made are to do with a lack of self-understanding, and the fear that someone else might be able to see that internal struggle in you. Over time it’s become about so much, songs have lots of perspectives and where I am right now is just one of them.

You’ve been compared to artists such as James Blake and SOHN, would you say that’s a fair comparison?
I think it’s great if people associate something that you’re doing with another artist that you respect. I love James Blake and Sohn’s work and while I don’t think too far into the nuts and bolts of such comparisons, I’m open to whatever conclusions people want to draw about this music.

What does the rest of 2017 look like for DYVR?
It’s shaping up to be an exciting year. There are lots of live dates in the pipeline, which is always a point of excitement for me. We’ll be on the road in the UK soon for sure.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would you choose?
I think I’ve said this in a previous interview, but it still stands. I want to work with Fionn Regan. If you’re reading this Fionn, give me a shout!

Was it an easy transition from post rock/folk to electronica for you?
You know, I have always been making music of different styles. A lot of it never saw the outside world. The beauty of what’s going on with DYVR is that possibilities remain and I can still be invested in music as a whole rather than in just one style. It doesn’t feel too much like a transition, more like what I’m up to right now.

Any live dates coming up?
I’m going to be announcing plenty of dates very soon. The first show will be announced in the coming weeks.

And last but not least, where can we find you online?
Probably the best place is to head to the Facebook page. Most news tends to flow through there.

Huge thanks to DYVR for answering our questions!

‘Half Awake’, the new single from DYVR, is out now on Veta Records.