Premiere: Dictaphone Blues Shares Single 'In Your Sleep'

Edward Castelow’s Dictaphone Blues returns after his eclectic 2018 EP Elastic Meditation, this time with the heavy grooves of new single ‘In Your Sleep’. The Tāmaki Makaurau-based songwriter self-recorded and produced the funky tune, recruiting Stuart Harwood for mastering and Callum Rooney (Ounce) for the suitably trippy album art. Castelow describes the track as sitting somewhere between the Crash Bandicoot theme and baggy British guitar music, with wry, tongue-in-cheek lyrics commenting on the fragile digital world we live in and how we’d be better off without it. Get your recommended daily intake of güiro in the latest number from Dictaphone Blues, and dive into his informative rapid-fire Q and A with fellow Créme Jéan live band member Annabel Kean below…

The song is about “everyone’s digital drug of choice”. What’s your digital drug of choice?

I guess it would be my phone. It's a constant battle to not look at it isn't it? Maybe I can also say music, now that's consumed very digitally these days and I'm always listening or making music. So yeah, music.

Is ‘In Your Sleep’ like a bonus Elastic Meditation track, or a sneak peek of an upcoming collection?

At this stage it's a stand alone single. I think I'd rather do little projects rather than a full albums which always seem to take forever to finish.

You’ve described the song as being a bit like the Crash Bandicoot theme. When was the last time you played Crash Bandicoot and what is your favourite video game?

I nicked that description from my neighbour, Theo. I played the song to him and the effected xylophone part made him think of that game. I haven't played the game in years. I used to love California Games, Altered Beast, 1942 and Double Dragon.

What are your plans for the future of Dictaphone Blues? Any new ideas or sounds you’ve got up your sleeve? Any plans of a tour?

No plans for a tour, though we are playing at a beer festival in Wellington in November. No immediate plans, just keep making the odd song and releasing them on the internet. Maybe do the odd gig here or there. Playing in a few bands and recording others all scratches my creative itch so DB doesn't need to be all encompassing.

Who will play the güiro when you perform this song live?

Yeah I'm not sure, open to offers!