AUSTRALIAN POP ARTIST KESMAR SHARES THE DISCO-INSPIRED SINGLE + VIDEO “DAY BY DAY”

Australian songwriter and producer KESMAR (aka Nathan Hawes) shares the new single + video “Day by Day.” KESMAR leans into a groove-based number with articulate guitars, conga backbeats and keyboards that call to mind Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield. “This song came from listening to a lot of organic disco and features the Yamaha CP70 on the solo,” says Hawes. Listen to “Day by Day” on all digital retailers (here).

Nathan Hawes explains more about the song’s meaning:

“‘Day by Day’ is one of the favourite songs from this new up and coming collection of music. It’s a song that I wrote towards the end of 2020, really to be straight up it’s just a break up song, I hadn’t been alone for a while and was really struggling with thoughts. Writing music a lot of the time is a big coping mechanism for anxiety and at that time the future, as the world was changing drastically. There have been countless versions of this song, it really pushed me and my creativity. After playing it live for about a year I knew I had to try and capture the sporadic essence of playing it live. The end of the song features an elaborate keyboard solo by Tim Ayre tied with the energetic drums by Patrick Rogers.” 

The accompanying music video features archival footage of Hawes’ parents on road trips circa 1979-1982.

“My dad was always big on documenting their time moving from country to country with their friends and family,” he explains. “There was over two and a half hours of footage to sort through, it was tough to condense it down to four minutes or so. To finish off the clip there were hand painted fonts by my girlfriend Jenaya. We wanted to keep the spirit of home videos so it felt right to have the imperfections of paint rather than using digitally generated fonts.”

Watch & Share “Day by Day” Official Music Video:

ABOUT KESMAR:

Basking in the glow of bright analog synths, lush guitars, and organic beat-craft, Sydney-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Nathan Hawes strikes a distinctive, infectious, and inimitable balance between yacht rock and D.I.Y. bedroom pop.

After releasing his dynamic second E.P. Forever Holiday in 2021, Hawes planned new recordings with friend and frequent production collaborator Tobias Priddle — but when Australia went under a second lockdown, he decided to take a different and more hands-on route. “I’d stay up all night and read interviews of how classic albums were recorded, and then I’d take those ideas into the studio,” he recalls while discussing the road to self-producing the record. “I started getting closer to the sound that I‘d heard in my head all these years.”

Hawes’ analog approach to recording is an integral element of bringing those songs to life, as he wields musical technologies from the past to craft his utterly timeless sound. “My process of recording and recording on tape is something I practice almost daily at home,” he explains. “It’s a constant cycle — an incredibly simple way of recording that took me many months to learn — but I love the performance element of recording to tape. As I’m recording and playing all the instruments myself, the tape machine is like a second person making me commit to my own ideas.”

This year saw the return of KESMAR. “Out of Luck” showcases an evolution in sound and songwriting that comes with immense personal growth as an artist. There’s a classic feel, with gorgeous melodies steeped in the soft-hued sounds of the 1970s—but equally in step with Hawes’ contemporaries, cementing him as an exciting new voice in modern pop music.

“Day by Day” shimmers with a disco-fied touch, its sparkling sound serving as the perfect compliment to the contemplative lyrics. “It’s a break-up song where I’m telling myself I’m gonna be fine,” he explains.

Stay tuned for more from KESMAR.