Ditches
New York by way of San Diego artist Tim Donnelly has been ultimately working on the new Ditches album Not Your Mirror for roughly half a decade. Honing in on a particular type of tone in both vocal & electric chord delivery; Donelly accomplishes an affectionate cadence that resounds with a sense of endearing empathy that it connects upon impact. It’s the feeling you have when discovering a new sound that speaks to your most guarded vulnerabilities after moving the radio to the left (and away from the FM melodies of relentless monotony).
Presenting the world premiere for Ditches’ new single “Fear Shifter”, Tim takes on the agoraphobic & insular emotions that we all contend with in a challenge to change solitary proclivities for something more involved. The art of reaching out to others, the familiar, the foreign, the new, the strange, the mind-opening & so forth is expressed in a range of chord arrangements that shines a light on the lives of old friends seen on a lonely screen to a sense of excited wonder of discovering, meeting & interacting with folks that they have never met before. Donnelly oscillates the entire track to account for those frustrated doldrums of pensive solo existence that are matched with elated arrangements that illustrate the drive & push to rise out of whatever holds you down in order to make new acquaintances & healthy bonds. The curious nature of human connection is inscribed within the spirit of “Fear Shifter”, where the audience can actively hear Ditches dig them self out of their proverbial lowland as Tim Donnelly expresses the art & joy of trying out new social solutions to chase the clutches of crippling sadness far away.
Tim Donnelly of Ditches shared the following exclusive reflections with us about the anthem “Fear Shifter”:
I find myself talking to less and less friends lately, thinking we’re still close, but only because I’ve been watching their lives whip by on a screen. Some of these people live around the block from me. It’s all pretty empty stuff.
So I’m trying to hit the streets and talk to more people…ones I know and ones I don’t.
“Fear Shifter” is about moving back towards sturdy people and meeting strangers. Talking to people (in person) is cool and really pays off.
I’d always done all the writing for Ditches, recruiting friends to help fill it out. For years, Ditches was basically a pick-up soccer game of friend members. I finally decided to do it all myself, with the help of friend/drummer/engineer, Andrew Ware of Ursa Polaris Studio here in San Diego, CA.
“Fear Shifter” is the first single off my new EP coming February 1, called Not Your Mirror.
Listen to more from Ditches via Soundcloud.
