Blue Bendy's Joe Nash to launch solo project Dying 4 with debut EP, Perish Songs

As the introduction to Dying 4, Perish Songs sees Nash pulling from sources of inspiration that surrounded him while growing up in Scunthorpe. “Me and my friends would have called ourselves skaters, but greebo, mosher or emo would be heckled at us by the kids blasting hardstyle and UKG on a speaker in Church Square in town," Nash explains. “There was a lot of this fraught counterculture tribalism growing up in Scunthorpe. Even when it got a bit intense, it was always exciting. Looking back, it was just various gangs of misfits making the most of growing up in a place like that.”

Where Blue Bendy has become known for their expansive experimental sound as a six-piece band, Nash simplifies things for Dying 4, with compositions limited to electric guitar, drums, and vocals developed entirely on his laptop. "Strafe" arrives as the first preview of this approach, combining UK garage, midwest emo, and art-rock.

Speaking about the new single, Nash explains, "Regrettable haircuts and performative book reading whilst vying for someones attention? 'Strafe' as a track is where Dying 4 began. What started as an overly involved guitar riff that I'd noodle to warm up for live shows with the band, came to life after being taken in a very non-rock music direction in Ableton. I've always made electronic music as a hobby, but I'm not much of a keys player. Getting out of synth-land and approaching it from guitar-world finally made it click.”