Nocturnal hymns by Born Days; photographed by Jaymes Josef.

The arts of expression allow us to develop a connection and conversation with our most honest selves. The shadow play that exists in the furthest reaches of our souls and psyches can be reached through the meditations that allow us to engage with our perceptions, emotions and thoughtful constructs in new manners. These breakthroughs open up our third eye to worlds both real or absolutely imagined where visceral memories and bodies of knowledges are intersected with embellished realities and enhanced ideas about what we want from the real world (that can feel otherwise lacking and deficient from our dreams, projected wants and desires). The power of creativity allows us to discover new outlets to illustrate greater truths and exhibitions of awe that otherwise would remain dormant or just a fleeting notion or passing thought, sailing through the streaming breeze of our consciousness.

This inspired spirit of world building brings us to the latest chapter in the Born Days canon with the debut of the title track “My Little Dark” from the forthcoming album of the same name. We last showcased the Chicago-based artist Melissa Harris during the premiere for the lauded Where We Live EP that anticipated our contemporary AI obsession that has now risen to a level of obnoxious and nauseating degree of inescapable ubiquity. The new offering opens up the mind and sacred catacombs of the soul that paints landscapes of mythic metropolises and gothic mausoleums that holds dear romantic undertones immersed in forgotten worlds laid bare like tech empires reduced to the rubble like Roman-esque ruins. Melissa introduces the new lead single with the following:

"My Little Dark" takes you on a journey through the psyche, into the cosmos, and back through the heart.

“My Little Dark” excavates the histories of the heart like an anthropological therapy session that strives to make sense of the self amid a post-apocalyptic realm. Complete with an animated visualize from Johannes Helgelin to compliment the haunting synth and robust percussive rhythmic pulses that punctuate the track, Born Days highlights the things that we hold close to our hearts when everything else feels lost. A song that mirrors the tensions felt in today's fragile times where our universe feels like it is in the divide of teetering on the brinkmanship of either total collapse or a new era of enlightenment — Harris leans into the synth pop designs of a dystopia that feels more near than in a reality or galaxy far, far away. "My Little Dark" is a journey through the darkness, a voyage through the corridors of the spirit and mind in pursuit of a dawn that awaits like a lonely minotaur at the end of an elaborate, labyrinthine maze.

Polaroid guitar embraces with Born Days; photographed by Jaymes Josef.

Born Days leader Melissa Harris provided meditations on both the title track and upcoming anticipated album of the same name — My Little Dark:

This song is about an extremely personal and complex relationship that is so interwoven and binding that there is no beginning and end. Have you ever been caught in a dark and lonely place that you have built inside your heart? Through creating this song, I discovered that I have a say in how my destiny will play out despite everything that happened in the past. Born Days, as a project, is really about waking up to just being my real, true self despite how raw and embarrassing it can be to admit all these really personal things in my music.

Among nature with Born Days; photographed by Erica Contreras.

I wrote this song as a little note on my phone in the middle of the night. Writing songs is sometimes the only thing that can help me get through my days, so I guess that’s why I keep making music. It’s just a thing that helps me survive on this planet. I have no idea what the songs are going to turn into when I start them. I love experimenting with sampling my vocals and turning them into synths and instruments. I like to create layers with delays and reverbs. I love to experiment with creating all kinds of sounds using samples that I manipulate and affect a million times until I don’t even know how I made them.

*My Little Dark* album artwork by Brellias.

There are tons of sounds on this record that I made by experimenting with using granular and wavetable synths for hours and hours and hours. I usually pitch, stretch, and re-time synths, guitars, drum samples, or my voice to make intricate patterns and polyrhythms. I know this music will never be commercially accepted, it is very esoteric and dark, and it isn’t for everyone. My music is definitely for a certain kind of person, but I hope that the people who need it will find it. I think it can be healing music for those people who find themselves in a dark place.

Born Days’ single “My Little Dark” is out now everywhere off the album of the same name that will be available October 6.

PREMIERE | Born Days, "My Little Dark"