Dan From Downingtown, the enigmatic alternative artist from Chester County, PA, has unveiled his debut album, “Some KiNd oF nOrmal,” marking a significant milestone in his musical journey. Released across streaming platforms, this album encapsulates the evolution of Dan’s sound, blending alternative music with elements of rock, electronic, and post-punk into a cohesive and compelling body of work.
“Some KiNd oF nOrmal” is a meticulous collection of singles from the past year, woven together with additional tracks to create a unified narrative. The album's title, with its intentional play on capitalisation, hints at the thematic complexity within—a dive into darker, more introspective territory compared to his previous EP. This thematic shift is immediately apparent as the album opens, setting a tone that is both brooding and atmospheric.
We sat down with the highly strung artist on his debut record, what makes him tick, and much, much more exclusively for FLEX. Check it out below!
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Hey Dan, welcome to FLEX! How are you doing?
Hi there, everything is going good thanks. How are you?
What inspired the name DAN FROM DOWNINGTOWN?
Well, when I decided that I was going to release music under an alias, my original idea was to release music under my actual name and then delete everything I ever put on the internet so it would be hard to figure out who I am. But as it turns out, there are about 1500 people on Spotify using my legal name. And all the good alias names were taken. So I thought, if “Chicago” is named after the city of Chicago, and “Boston” is named after the city of Boston, and “Kansas” is named after Kansas, why not just name myself after my home town. So I guess now I’m DAN FROM DOWNINGTOWN. In hindsight, it’s kind of a derpy name, haha.
Your sound blends alternative music with rock, electronic, and post-punk elements. Who are some of the artists or influences that have shaped your sound, and how do they come through in your music?
Dude, I’m all over the place with the music I listen to. It pretty much changes with the mood that I’m in. If I had to pick three artists that shaped the way I listen to music, I would say that The Beatles are the best overall band, David Bowie was the best songwriter, and Slipknot has the coolest sound. But I listen to all sorts of things, and I’m always experimenting with sounds in the studio. At the end of the day, I try to sound as much like me as I possibly can. But every once in a while, I’ll listen to an artist like Playboi Carti, and think, “Maybe I should put an 808 bass in this song.” Or I’ll listen to Ween and think, “Maybe this album should have some weird ambient vocals in the beginning.” Little things like that.
What’s the main concept behind your new album Some Kind of Normal?
When I recorded my first EP “Stasis” I was dealing with issues in the present day that came out in my music. Through that experience I thought a lot about the events of my childhood and teenage years that shaped my life so far. I won't go into too much detail, but it involves a fair amount of pain. I used a metaphor that is pretty “on the nose” to describe how I was feeling at the time. But I don't want to say too much. I like the idea of my listeners taking the song and applying meaning to their own life, and thinking about things retrospectively.
Why did you choose to stylise the album title the way you did?
If your referring to the font (Some KiNd oF nOrmal), it’s because I think the album as a whole is kind of unsettling. And I wanted to show that through the title of the piece.
Who are your biggest musical influences right now?
I really like a lot of the “trap metal” and “alternative” music like Ghostemane, Fever 333, Sueco, 100 gecs, and Scarlxrd. I like very abrasive music that isn't afraid to push the boundaries a bit. But like I said, I listen to a lot of stuff.
How did the darker themes of the album come about?
Pain… carefully crafted into Metaphors.
What’s next for DAN FROM DOWNINGTOWN after this?
I’m gonna put out one more song this year and then I will start thinking about the next year of music. In the meantime, I’m working on the possibility of a live performance. But I don't want to say too much just yet.
Stream "Some KiNd oF nOrmal" in full here:
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