Album Cover Photo by Taylrd Media
Dylan Lee Anthony makes music under the name Dylanovus, which combines his first name with "novus," the Latin word for "new" or "reborn." The Denver-based pop singer started penning lyrics in his early teens, and when he decided to pursue his dreams of being a musician years later, he selected a name that would symbolize the revival of his teenage ambitions. His first single, released in May 2022, was appropriately titled "Autopilot (Dreamin')." After following that up with another single shortly after, Dylanovus started working on his first long-form project, a seven-track EP called Fantasy.
Nightmares, the newest EP from Dylanovus, is both an extension and a reversal of the story told on his debut. "The two EPs are each half [of] a larger story, despite also being able to stand on their own. Their seven-song structure is the same, but the tones begin and progress in opposite directions," the artist explains. "Fantasy began with a flirty, explorational ride into newfound love, and ended with eventual confusion and heartbreak. Nightmares picks up from there and deals with the depressing PTSD from being broken, [then] transitions to a higher note after accepting what has been and moving forward with optimism." Each EP encompasses its own complete story arc revolving around a relationship, but also contributes to a fuller narrative when paired with its counterpart.
Nightmares continues to explore themes found throughout Dylanovus's previous music, such as love, loss, new beginnings, and mental health. Like Dylan mentioned, the project begins at rock bottom, with the opening track "Broken and Hopeless." The protagonist's emotions escalate into outrage on "Peace" and "Twisted," but he ultimately settles into self-acceptance by the final song, "Just Human." "Nightmares is inspired by a breakup with a previous partner, and my personal struggle [with] and eventual acceptance [of] feeling lost and alone. It's a concept piece, so you can really follow the story from a hopeless beginning to a refreshed sense of self at the end," says Dylanovus.
While Dylanovus mostly identifies as a pop singer (with indie, synthpop, and new wave influences), Nightmares leans heavily into other mid-2000s pop-adjacent sounds like pop rock, pop punk, and emo pop. I'm not ready to call that era retro (describing something from my own lifetime as "retro" makes me feel ancient), but Nightmares definitely provokes a sense of nostalgia for those angst-ridden teenage years and the music that defined them. The title track especially, where Dylanovus takes his internal battles and reimagines them as monsters reminiscent of childhood boogiemen, has shades of emo pop mainstays like All Time Low and Good Charlotte.
Switching up the vibe, the old-timey instrumental on the standout "Peace" feels like it was ripped straight from the soundtrack of a spaghetti Western. (Which actually makes it even more nostalgic for me personally, because my little brother had an INTENSE Western phase. That might just be us though...) Don't let the name fool you, "Peace" is unmistakably meant as a battlecry. Even if the "battle" in question is less of a saloon shootout and more like running into your ex.
From the enthusiasm in his voice to the campy album cover photo, it's clear that Dylanovus had a blast creating his sophomore project, Nightmares. If you want to experience some of that joy in person, Dylanovus is throwing an EP release show tonight, Saturday, December 7, at The Black Buzzard in Denver. Presented by Bandwagon, it's a 16+ show featuring supporting acts Hatori, Mango Slushy, My'Stroe, and Zech James. Tickets are $25 online. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show, and attendees are encouraged to wear red and/or black in honor of the "Nightmares Before Christmas" theme.
Nightmares is available now on all music platforms.
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