1st Base Runner Is the New ‘Night Stalker’ With 5th EP in Two Years [Video]

Night Stalker is an attention-grabbing alternative of title for 1st Base Runner’s fifth EP, given the Netflix bioseries of the identical identify being so standard. Those of us sufficiently old to recollect, particularly when you lived in Southern California at the time, could have much more of a visceral response to this EP and the music connected to it. Apparently this was on objective.

The resurrected true crime Netflix story of serial killer Richard Ramirez, tagged by the media in the 80s as the Nightstalker, implies that GenX children of Los Angeles and Orange County who had been advised to maintain their home windows closed at night time advert nauseam at the moment are not the solely ones aware of mentioned story. It’s unknown whether or not 1st Base Runner was impressed by the sequence or is, in reality, a kind of GenX kids, however Night Stalker is well his darkest providing to-date.

With lashings of goth bands like Bauhaus and post-punk acts like Joy Division, Love and Rockets and Tom Waits heretofore prevalent in his music, it probably wasn’t a really troublesome transfer for 1st Base Runner to tip over into darker territory. Night Stalker is nonetheless a reasonably stark change. Only a little bit little bit of the attribute shoegazey guitars are left on this EP. Even then, in tracks like “In the Neighborhood” and “Dark Drive Through the Canyon” the guitars are tuned in the direction of the maudelin and/or eerie digital sound design, which provides this work a way of insanity and desolation solely hinted at in earlier works.

Another 1st Base Runner signature has at all times been that even in the most emotionally troublesome tracks, there’s been a small trace of hope or appreciation, largely in the approach the harmonies meld collectively to create and uplifting tilt to the music. That trace remains to be there in Night Stalker nevertheless it usually feels at conflict with the creepier elements of the tracks, so as a substitute of concord we get discord or, as with the title observe, confusion and concern. This observe lives as much as is title, and genuinely appears like a sonic illustration of what the inside a serial killer’s thoughts may really feel like. It’s visceral, pogniant and makes a robust case for not giving in to intrusive ideas. One might say there’s a little bit aid with closing observe “The Serpent and Space,” however one might additionally see it as merely the peace and launch those that have given in to their demons really feel as soon as the evil deed is finished.

As with all !st Base Runner releases, Night Stalker was launched with a good looking and comparably visceral video for the observe “Dark Drive Through the Canyon,” directed by the prolific Dilly Gent of Son&Heir Productions and Radiohead fame. Dilly has been inventive director on quite a few 1st Base Runner’s video tasks however this has been the first one she’s shot hands-on. With the juxtaposiion of terrifying and elegant motion and imagery in the video and the type of movement cease vs compositional shot vibe she created, it’s secure to say it was choice that she picked up the digital camera. A fancy observe like “Dark Drive…” wanted a fragile and expert hand with the video to match what the artist was attempting to say, and Gent captured it completely.

It actually is sobering, the degree of high quality and creativity 1st Base Runner has managed to maintain over the final two years since he launched his preliminary “All Thoughts” single and subequent Seven Years of Silence album. The again story behind this mission and the whole lot Tim Husmann, the artist behind 1st Base Runner, has been via would point out he probably has many extra tales to inform. The incontrovertible fact that he’s dug even deeper on Night Stalker to discover the darker elements of humanity means he’s removed from completed.

Night Stalker is out now and could be streamed on Spotify. Check out 1st Base Runner’s YouTube channel for extra lush movies and extra on his story.