The would-be next album, "Dear Tommy" (2016), was scrapped, and was meant to be re-worked for a subsequent release, however the fate of album is unclear, as on August 10, 2021, Ruth Radelet, Adam Miller and Nat Walker announced the breaking up of Chromatics. Later that day the label, Italians Do It Better, and Johnny Jewel's representative, also confirmed the breakup. Their last album is "Closer to Grey" (2019), which has a companion album, "Faded Now" (2020).
The band originally hailed from Seattle and formed in 2002 as a quartet featuring vocalist Adam Miller, drummer Hannah Blilie, guitarist Devin Welch, and bassist Michelle Nolan. That lineup debuted in 2002 with a Calvin Johnson-produced 7" on Gold Standard Laboratories -- a split with Die Monitr Batss -- and followed with the similarly GSL-issued Chrome Rats vs Basement Ruts LP.
While Chrome Rats was critically hailed, Chromatics couldn't keep it together, and Miller was soon the only member in good standing (Blilie, Welch, and Nolan went on to form the similar-sounding Shoplifting). Unworried, Miller added guitar and drum programming to his vocal duties and tapped bassist Nat Sahlstrom for the 2003 GSL 7" Ice Hatchets. That was followed by the February 2004 full-length Plaster Hounds (which featured the percussion work of Get Hustle's Ron Avila), and a repositioning of the Chromatics axis to greater reflect its dub and no wave influences.
This lineup too dissolved and Adam Miller relocated Chromatics to Portland, teaming up with Glass Candy's Johnny Jewel, Ruth Radelet on lead vocals, and Nat Walker on percussion and saxophone. The new lineup of Chromatics had a more lo-fi electronic sound as opposed to the earlier dub and no-wave sounds.
Dagger Moon
Chromatics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dagger moon
Release me from your wire
Dagger moon
Release me from your wire
I'm the hang of your desire
Always on the outside
Dagger moon
Dagger moon
Tell me what you came for
Dagger moon
You came in with your needle
Deep inside my fevers
God above you
Dagger moon
Shadows are fading
Dagger moon
Shattered beneath my patient attitude
Nervous sooner changes
I hate you
Always on the outside
Dagger moon
Always on the outside
Dagger moon
Always on the outside
Dagger moon
Always on the outside
Dagger moon
The lyrics of Chromatics' song "Dagger Moon" express a desire to be released from someone's hold, symbolized by the wire and needle mentioned in the lyrics. The repeated phrase "Dagger moon" implies a sense of danger or threat, possibly from the person holding them captive. The singer of the song is always on the outside, suggesting a feeling of isolation and exclusion from the situation. There is also a sense of longing expressed in the lyrics, as the singer asks to be told what the other person came for, and acknowledges their own desire.
The chorus of the song, always repeating "Dagger moon," creates a haunting, almost hypnotic atmosphere. The repetition of the lyrics "Always on the outside" further emphasizes the singer's feeling of exclusion or rejection. The use of imagery such as the wire and needle adds to the ominous tone of the song, suggesting a sense of impending harm or threat.
Line by Line Meaning
Release me from your wire
I want to be free from the hold you have on me
Dagger moon
You are like a sharp weapon in the form of the moon
Release me from your wire
I need to break away from your grasp
Dagger moon
You keep cutting me with your sharpness, as if you are a moon made of daggers
Release me from your wire
I am trapped in your desires, I need to be released
I'm the hang of your desire
You have a grip on me, like I am the object of your insatiable desires
Always on the outside
I feel like a misfit, always excluded from what you are a part of
Dagger moon
You continue to pierce me with your sharp edges, like a moon made of weapons
Tell me what you came for
I want to know what it is you are seeking from me
Dagger moon
You are still cutting into me, like a moon with jagged edges
Tell me what you came for
I need to understand your intentions
You came in with your needle
You entered into my life with something that was meant to heal, but instead caused pain
Deep inside my fevers
You penetrated deep into my being, causing turmoil and unrest
God above you
Even though you may have power over me, ultimately there is a higher power at work
Dagger moon
You are like a blade that hangs in the sky, causing me harm
Shadows are fading
The darkness that surrounds us is slowly lifting
Dagger moon
You are still a weapon looming over me, even as the shadows fade
Shattered beneath my patient attitude
My calm exterior is actually hiding the pain and damage you have caused
Nervous sooner changes
I am feeling anxious and unsure about what may happen next
I hate you
I have come to despise you for the harm you have caused
Always on the outside
Even as things change, I still feel like an outsider
Dagger moon
You are still causing me pain, like a moon that is sharp and dangerous
Always on the outside
No matter what happens, I feel perpetually removed from everything you are a part of
Dagger moon
You keep inflicting pain on me, and it feels never-ending
Always on the outside
I continue to feel like an outsider, no matter what I do or how things change
Dagger moon
You remain a sharp, dangerous force in my life, like a moon made of knives
Contributed by Connor S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@darkharvest4722
Heard it first on the ads for Trick r Treat marathon back when Fear Net was a thing. Thought the song was awesome and I still do to this day!
@x10018ro
Incredibly underrated song!
@ItaliansDoItBetterMusic
dead moon cover. xoxo
@calestnightstalker9078
This is such a beautiful song....!
@DarkSlayer977
Great song!!
@simontrucker3624
Great cover, I think Fred would approve. RIP Mr Cole
@jesusleyvamorales9942
This is perfect for Halloween.
@cuervos69
RIP Fred