‘These Days Are Wild & Blind’ is a collection of 12 songs that will be released one track a month via digital platforms and dezdare.com starting March 2026, with the whole album available via Bandcamp Friday 1st of May.
Taking a more philosophical view of time and the world from Dez’s perspective, these tracks are more personal, introspective and diverse in tone than previous albums. Effortlessly gliding between experimental acoustic excursions to motorik 8bit chants to fuzzed up guitar anthems.
I started writing the lyrics for this set of songs in-between shows in Berlin and Brussels. Writing about the things that cloud and warm my brain, the time while waiting for things to happen is where the most beautiful bursts of clarity come into focus.
The point of purpose is unique. Bespoke to the individual, joyful to the young of mind.
Fly yer freak flag fuckers.
There’s no other time.
There’s no other time.
Dez Dare (AKA Darren Smallman of labels God Unknown, BATTLE WORLDWIDE, Low Transit Industries, and bands Thee Vinyl Creatures, The Sound Platform, Warped) grew up in Geelong, Australia, where he became involved in the local punk and rock scene in 1990. Sharing stages with the likes of 5678s, Fugazi, and the Cosmic Psychos before shifting his focus to running record labels.
In the 2020s we see Dez Dare take form in a spare room in Brighton, UK, where he starts building a studio and producing music and videos that have been described as "sounds like MONSTER MAGNET and DEVO caught in a drug bust… highly unique and highly recommended" by MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL to The Wire’s Edwin Pouncey "dynamically armed with a ten-pronged set of lyrical barbs and musical hooks that, once heard, sink deep and hold fast" to Crossfire Metal "minimalistic, electronic psychedelic hippie poop that is only bearable with a hell of a lot of acid, angel dust and LSD".
On these recordings Dez has old friends and new. Mike Gale of Black Nielson and Co-pilgrim sang, while Maria Marzaioli of YOU&TH and Slum of Legs sang and played violin. Colin Webster of Sex Swing and IDLES delivered some raucous saxophone.
"At a time when much of indie rock is drifting toward reverb-drenched melancholy or algorithm-friendly mush, Dez Dare is a welcome jolt of clarity. His music points out that punk rock music can still be smart, noise can still be meaningful, and absurdity can still be art. He makes records that feel like manifestos written in neon, sung through a bullhorn, blasted through fuzz pedals and synth wires... Dez Dare proves once again that he is one of the most interesting, inventive, and important voices in underground rock today." Thoughts Words Action
"Dare raves his way through his latest batch of new brain tilting songs - each pumping with frantic Casio keyboard induced rhythm and burning psychedelic guitar soloing. Completely nuts boy pop from a true master that has been nurtured over the years from overdosing on Devo, The Tubes and perhaps a shot of R Stevie Moore... Dez Dare's ambition to "not be like everyone else" takes a step closer to being fulfilled." The Wire [Edwin Pouncey]
"Dez Dare blends squalid punk sounds with aspects of brown acid psychedelia, building into something uniquely wild and colourful. The Australian psych-punk legend is a true underground hero" Clash