John Dwyer‘s (OSEES) long running synth forward side project, Damaged Bug, is back after a 6 year hiatus with the new album, ZUZAX (due out March 20th via Deathgod Records).
Rare Earth recently sat down with Dwyer to learn more about the new record, the state of the world through Dwyer’s eyes, and what lies ahead for the prolific mad scientist.
Tune in on Monday, March 9th at 1pm to hear their conversation.
ZUZAX was recorded over a period of seven years, from 2018 to 2025, by John Dwyer himself. The record is an 11 track rollercoaster ride of out-of-the-box arrangements, off kilter yet infectious melodies, and dynamic rhythms. The LP is a forward thinking musical triumph, marking another outstanding achievement in John Dwyer’s vast discography.
“40 or so Damaged Bug tunes from the past seven years were orphaned / unfinished, which is pretty rare for me. I just kept having other things going on & life kept getting in the way. And frankly, the songs were all over the place so I didn’t see a thread in there, but in light of current events in the world, I feel like It’s every artist’s calling to construct personal messages cloaked in moments of escapism. That’s what this record is for me–something to clear the decks a little bit in my studio, relax my mind, and keep the wolf from the door. It’s a bit of a joyous/sad record dealing with hope and forgiveness, two things which I hope end up more in my life.
It’s abstract and poppy, fried and sugary.
It is exactly how I feel at the moment, fried and skewed.
Good luck out there and I hope this turns off the torrent for you, for a moment.”
– John Dwyer
