By Jessica McCormick
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The Infinite Daisy Chains duo describe themselves as “D.C.-based indie dream pop artists residing somewhere between the meditative moods of downtempo and the expansive energy of psych pop.” I dig it. Ian Dandridge and Kristina Westernik-Dandridge originally met at a rehearsal, married five years later, and have set out to “spread a much-needed message of hope.”
The latest in their repertoire, “Paper Tigers” deploys this ambiance in response to the daily grind of everyday life. The song is inspired by a recurring dream of Westernik-Dandridge, in which she “ultimately comes to an abrupt end by walking through an imagined door where she is suddenly startled back to reality.”
According to Westernik-Dandridge, “This experience of existing between dream states and an anxious reality” is what inspired “Paper Tigers.”
The eponymous entities may appear threatening, at first glance, but you begin to notice how benign they are when you take a closer look. Westernik-Dandridge explains that these little stressors add up, and they can ultimately lead to burnout if we don’t take the time to sort them out.
She advises that we “consciously try to adapt and seek ways to destress, to find a more blissful and ‘restful and recovering’ state of being.” With its ambient “wall of guitars, lush synth arps, and soaring vocals,” I think a decompression session with “Paper Tigers” could help with that.
The duo self-produced, wrote, and recorded this song in their bedroom studio. The song was mixed by Omar Yakar Jr. (engineer for Local Natives and The War on Drugs) and Jake Ingalls (Spaceface), and mastered by Mike Fridmann (producer/engineer of The Flaming Lips). The artwork was designed by Brazilian artist, Machado Leao.
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Jessica McCormick is an Army brat currently residing in Silicon Valley. With a decade of experience in communications, she appreciates the transformative power of music. She has spent over two decades singing with various choirs, and has enjoyed 8 years with the San Jose Metropolitan Band playing alto saxophone. In her free time, she loves reading speculative fiction.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
