A self-taught pianist … Read Full Bio ↴Also part of A Winged Victory for the Sullen.
A self-taught pianist from the age of 7, Dustin O'Halloran's personal histories give us some clue to the thickly-woven tapestries of his music: he has lived in LA (where he studied art at Santa Monica College and formed the much-adored Devics with Sara Lov), Italy (in the depths of rural Emilia Romagna) and Berlin. His arresting, heartbreaking music is as much an elegant exercise in nuance and grace as it is a pure, intuitive, personal expression – and here is where we see some explanation into Dustin's quiet rise to notoriety and his continued ascension.
Having gained serious recognition with his stunning score to Sofia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette (which sits neatly alongside his soundtrack work for William Olsen's An American Affair (2010) and Drake Doremus' Sundance-winning Like Crazy (2011), Dustin has quickly become one of the most recogniseable names in the broad-reaching “post-classical” field, a definition of the genre rather than vice-versa. Now sitting alongside peers and friends Max Richter, Hauschka and Johann Johannsson (who, incidentally, aided Dustin in mixing his newest album) on FatCat's dedicated orchestral imprint 130701, new album Lumiere is a glowing addition to O'Halloran's musical canon, at once an amalgamation of everything that his music has been leading up to, and an unprecedented step forwards in terms of timbral palette and harmony. Featuring NYC’s ACME Quartet, Stars Of The Lid's Adam Wiltzie and prodigious young composer Peter Broderick among the guest musicians, the scale of Lumiere is expansive: “it made me realize how important it is to find players that truly understand what you do and to create a language with them,” writes Dustin.
Dustin's rock background - primarily with Bella Union's “dream-pop” outfit Devics – has yielded an unassuming, perceptive approach to composing modern classical pieces. Inspired by, among others, Arvo Part, Philip Glass, Hans Otte, John Luther Adams, Olivier Messiaen, Ennio Morricone, Gavin Bryars, there is no lack of articulation or academic musicality in Dustin's work, but there is also none of the aloofness or detachment that is so readily perceived around contemporary classical music. This can perhaps be attributed to the environments in which Dustin has worked - Lumiere is full of those rare elements of life shared by both vibrant cities and lush countrysides: colour, both organic and rich, sensorial intrigue and a deep awareness of space. Or perhaps it is a product of Dustin's synaesthesia, a condition he first noticed around the time of his performance at New York's Guggenheim Museum for their Kandisnky retrospective and 50th anniversary gala. Able to visualize his compositions as vividly as a painter might see his own work, Dustin's expressiveness is beyond compare.
Lumiere is Dustin's third solo full-length, following Bella Union albums released in 2004 and 2006 respectively (Piano Solos vol. 1 and Piano Solos vol. 2). These two records were originally opportunity for Dustin to express a non-Devics creative streak: gently and privately pieced together piano suites written and recorded on a beautifully-restored 1920's Sabel piano in his Italian farmhouse. The compositions, however, gradually grew into fully-formed solo pieces as Dustin's ambitions and designs developed. The path, of course, would eventually lead him to Lumiere's majestic, swooning ensemble arrangements and a focus-shift away from the piano as his work's primary timbre without losing any of the affection for the instrument that bore his first two records.
A sublime solo live album - entitled Vorleben – was released by FatCat / 130701 in June 2010.
(2) American post-classical pianist and composer Dustin O'Halloran (born September 1971) began his musical life a guitarist. He has claimed in interviews that he didn't really begin to study the piano in earnest until he was in college and studying music. While attending Santa Monica College, he met Sara Lov and started the band Dévics. The quartet released four albums and six singles on Bella Union between 1998 and 2006. O'Halloran began to take the piano seriously while with the band, and then in formal music studies in both Italy and Berlin (where he now resides). He released his first two albums, entitled Piano Solos, Vol. 1 and Piano Solos, Vol. 2 on Bella Union in 2004 and 2006, respectively. During the latter year he was given the opportunity to score filmmaker Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette. In 2009, he composed the score for director William Olsen's An American Affair, which was released on the Filter imprint before the film. In 2010, he scored director Drake Doremus' feature Like Crazy (which won an award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011). Lumiere, his debut album for Fat Cat's orchestral 130701 imprint was issued in February 2011 to stellar reviews. It featured O'Halloran's piano in a slightly more populated sonic field that included other musicians like the ACME Quartet, Stars of the Lid's Adam Wiltzie, and fellow composer Peter Broderick. This was followed by a live solo piano recording, Vorleben, on the same label in June of that year. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi
Form Is Dead
Dustin O'Halloran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me everything that happened
Tell me everything you saw
They had lights inside their eyes
They had lights inside their eyes
Did you see the closing window?
They moved forward, my heart died
They moved forward, my heart died
Please, please tell me what they look like
Did they seem afraid of you?
They were kids that I once knew
They were kids that I once knew
I could say it, but you won′t believe me
You say you do, but you don't deceive me
It′s hard to know they're out there
It's hard to know that you still care
I could say it but you wont believe me
You say you do but you don′t deceive me
Dead hearts are everywhere
Dead hearts are everywhere
Did you touch them, did you hold them?
Did they follow you to town?
They make me feel I′m falling down
They make me feel I'm falling down
Was there one you saw too clearly?
Did they seem too real to you?
They were kids that I once knew
They were kids that I once knew
They were kids that I once knew
They were kids that I once knew
Now they′re all dead hearts to you
Now they're all dead hearts to you
They were kids that I once knew
They were kids that I once knew
Now they′re all dead hearts to you
"Dead Hearts" by Dustin O'Halloran is a haunting and poignant song that delves into themes of loss, nostalgia, and the inevitable passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a narrator seeking answers and reminiscing about a past that is now gone.
The song begins with the singer requesting to be told everything that happened and everything that was seen. It seems as though they are trying to understand and make sense of a significant event or series of events. The line "They had lights inside their eyes" suggests that there was something unique or captivating about these individuals, perhaps hinting at a sense of innocence or youthful enthusiasm.
There is a sense of longing and sadness in the lyrics as the singer asks if the closing window was noticed and if the slamming door was heard. This could represent a missed opportunity or a moment of separation, emphasizing a feeling of loss. The phrase "They moved forward, my heart died" suggests that the singer's emotions were deeply affected by this event, and it feels as though a part of them has been forever changed.
The singer then inquires about the appearance of these individuals and wonders if they seemed afraid. The mention of them being kids that the singer once knew carries a sense of familiarity and connection, suggesting that there may have been a bond or relationship in the past. However, it becomes clear that something has changed as the singer reflects on the disbelief and deception they experience when trying to communicate their thoughts and emotions: "I could say it, but you won't believe me. You say you do, but you don't deceive me."
The repeated refrain of "Dead hearts are everywhere" brings the song's theme to the forefront. It highlights the transient nature of life and the inevitable passing of time, where the people who were once familiar and alive in the singer's life are now gone and their hearts have become lifeless. It is a somber reminder of the fleeting nature of existence and the memories that eventually fade away.
Overall, "Dead Hearts" is a contemplative and emotionally charged song that explores the complexities of loss and the longing for connection and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me everything that happened
Share all the details of what occurred
Tell me everything you saw
Reveal everything that you witnessed
They had lights inside their eyes
Their eyes were filled with a bright radiance
They had lights inside their eyes
Their eyes were filled with a bright radiance
Did you see the closing window?
Were you aware of the window shutting?
Did you hear the slamming door?
Did the sound of a door forcefully closing reach your ears?
They moved forward, my heart died
As they proceeded, my heart lost all vitality
They moved forward, my heart died
As they proceeded, my heart lost all vitality
Please, please tell me what they look like
Kindly inform me about their appearance
Did they seem afraid of you?
Were they displaying signs of fear towards you?
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
I could say it, but you won't believe me
I could express it, but you refuse to accept it as true
You say you do, but you don't deceive me
Although you claim to believe, you are not fooling me
It's hard to know they're out there
It is difficult to grasp their existence somewhere else
It's hard to know that you still care
It is challenging to comprehend that you still have concern
I could say it but you won't believe me
I could express it, but you refuse to accept it as true
You say you do but you don't deceive me
Although you claim to believe, you are not fooling me
Dead hearts are everywhere
Lifeless emotions can be found in abundance
Dead hearts are everywhere
Lifeless emotions can be found in abundance
Did you touch them, did you hold them?
Did you make physical contact with them, did you embrace them?
Did they follow you to town?
Did they accompany you until you reached the town?
They make me feel I'm falling down
They cause me to experience a sensation of descending
They make me feel I'm falling down
They cause me to experience a sensation of descending
Was there one you saw too clearly?
Was there one of them that you observed with exceptional clarity?
Did they seem too real to you?
Did they appear excessively genuine to you?
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
Now they're all dead hearts to you
Now, in your perception, they are devoid of any emotional life
Now they're all dead hearts to you
Now, in your perception, they are devoid of any emotional life
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
They were kids that I once knew
They were individuals I was previously acquainted with
Now they're all dead hearts to you
Now, in your perception, they are devoid of any emotional life
Now they're all dead hearts to you
Now, in your perception, they are devoid of any emotional life
Writer(s): Dustin O Halloran
Contributed by Declan G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sunnydale22
What stunning work. <3 I'm in love with this soundtrack!
Vladus
Magnificent.
杨昊汶
anyone knows where to buy its piano score???
Val G
Form Is dead. Simplicity is dead. Life is dead. What was once valued, is no longer there, or even mocked. What was once made simple, became complicated and burdensome. It no longer was the truth, but coveted lies. Life was sacred, but a fascination with death and pleasure arose, perhaps out of curiosity, power, sensation and even pain. Pain is power they say, but that in itself changed you, equating, to the extreme, suffering with power. Some suffering, yes, but not all. As if the pain gave you external powers, with some powers that had nothing to do with you in the first place, and thus only arose out of false confidence, false hopes, even if you managed to accomplish certain goals with it. Meaning is dead. Results without meaning are dead. Whatever it took, uprooted in lies and covered with the blood of others' pain, protected by a heavy fog of oblivion. Awareness is dead, eventually. But, accountability is there, it is, in fact, not dead, but very well and alive. Pleasure is alive. It's everywhere. Consume it in large amounts and you'll be intoxicated. You might even be happy, but dead nevertheless. They say its used as an escape from this world; but what if it's used to delve further in? As long as you ignore what's around, you'll be fine, they say,. And so you are, but now that around you is dead. So what if form is dead, if you yourself feel alive, but, in reality are dead? Self- meaning is alive, but overall meaning is dead then. The meaning of power also becomes dead. This is the result then of form being dead, sometimes mistakenly equated with emptiness, but also, burdensome happiness, or happiness with too great of a cost. True happiness? I don't know, perhaps it is alive. Even if it weren't, the costs are still far too great when form is dead. But perhaps you really are dead. Perhaps form is dead and you really are not alive, playing the part well. That would be terrifying, but not surprising. However, if form is dead, and you are alive, now that is not only surprising, but terryfing on a whole another level. Form is not only dead then, but now it is alive in your eyes when in reality you are still dead. You will probably not even realize it, despite having the chance to do so. When form is dead, it is not easy to change, in fact you might suffer as a result but nevertheless, it's the right thing to do, because even if you don't feel alive, you are, like a distrubing peace, but peace nevertheless, and thus, are not truly dead. Form may be dead, but you don't have to be; you can in fact, do your part even if it does not change completely; because you can choose not to be like this and thus, choose not to be dead.
Vivek Haldar
moving :)
Val G
@Vivek Haldar thanks
Na B
Superbe...