I think it’s safe to say that I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME (aka iDKHOW) has just dropped one of the most experimentally charged pop records of the year so far. The creative force that is Dallon Weekes (formerly from Panic! At The Disco, 2009-2017), has welcomed listeners into the colourful world of this project with the 12 track sophomore record “GLOOM DIVISION”. Each song shows a different side to his artistry, while still finding a grounding cohesiveness that pulls it back to this detailed creative identity. 

I recently had a chat with iDKHOW about how he incorporated sampling into this record for the first time, explored the self-inflicting thoughts that plague his production and how he gets himself out of that headspace, and found out how William Shatner inspired one of the tracks. Check out the full chat BELOW;

THOMAS BLEACH: Opening track “DOWNSIDE” explodes with this colourful punch. The chorus feels a little bit reminiscent of The Killers with its theatrical style of pop-rock. Do you remember what was inspiring you, or what references you had during the sessions for this song?

iDKHOW: There were a few that started that one off. The first was this song called “O Superman” by Laurie Anderson. That was popular a little bit before I was born, if not when I was born. I remember growing up with it sort of in the background, and it never left me. But I guess it’s had this little resurgence on TikTok as of late which is interesting to see because I recorded this song a year ago or more. That song served as inspiration, however I couldn’t clear the sample for that song because she doesn’t ever clear samples, which is okay. I’m still a huge fan. So I ended up recreating that sample with my own voice. 

The other inspiration was one of my favourite bands, Phantom Planet. They recorded their self-titled record over 10 years ago with the same producer I was using for “Gloom Division”. Those two kind of mashed together and served as the starting point for “DOWNSIDE”. I’ve never really done sampling in the past before, but the drums from that Phantom Planet record  combined with the Laurie Anderson “O Superman” vocals was where it got started. It was a new experience for me, and I used that as the jumping off point.

THOMAS BLEACH: Did you use sampling for the rest of the record as well? Or was that kind of just with this song?  

iDKHOW: I think there’s one or two. There’s not a lot of it because I don’t know how adept I am at optimizing the use of a sample. But there were a couple times where they did serve as a good place to start. I’m still sort of learning how to navigate using that world cause it is fun to do.

TB: “SATANIC PANIC” is a song that immediately stands out on the record with its infectious energy, catchy hook, and strong guitars and drums. Can you explain the story behind this track?

iDKHOW: I was a kid in the 80s when the Satanic Panic was in full effect in the United States. I’m not sure if that was happening in Australia, but religious households across America were terrified that  the satanic cults of the world were coming after your children, and they were going to get them with rock music and things like Garbage Pail Kids. I was not allowed to have those trading cards or even hold them…I still would.  But those were seen as satanic. Candy cigarettes were satanic. Anything and everything under the sun could be labeled that if it served the power structuring of Protestant White Christianity. Even at seven or eight years old I know that it was ridiculous. Like, how am I going to be doomed to hell because I’m chewing on Big League Chew, you know? I know it resembles chewing tobacco, but I’m pretty sure the Dark Lord doesn’t have a hold on me because I’m enjoying some bubblegum. So living through that inspired that track. 

TB: “WHAT LOVE?” impresses with these bursts of 90’s influences and little production quirks. How many different versions did this song go through to get it where it is now on the record?

iDKHOW: There was actually only one of every song. Every iteration ended up on the album. I tried not to overthink too much, and if it felt good we just ran with it. Every creative person including myself reaches a point of second guessing yourself. You get excited about an idea, and then you build it and put it together, and you get to this point where it’s like, “does this suck? Am I just fooling myself? All my ideas are stupid. I’m worthless. This is terrible. Throw it away and start over”. But I have a wonderful reminder here at home, and that is my partner. She reminds me that I always do this and I need to believe in myself. It’s this weird pattern, but every artist has it. So I decided to make a real effort when I get to that point, to just kind of power through and stay the course and finish the idea.  

TB: Then you have a song like “SPKOTHDVL” which is big punk moment. Did you revisit this song a few times, or was it more-so a one take vibe as it feels quite raw with a IDKHOW polish on-top. 

iDKHOW: “SPKOTHDVL” was pretty much all me on guitars, bass and everything except for the drums. I wanted it to feel like a band in a room jamming. A one-take sort of feel, like you’re talking about, which can be tricky when you’re doing everything take by take by yourself, and switching guitars and amps. So there was a lot of editing done on my part to try to make it sound like it was four people in a room, when it was just me. Someday I hope to be able to make a song or an album that way with a group of musicians, and do it the way they did it back in the 70s and 80s. 

TB: I love how unexpecting “A LETTER” is on the record. It feels almost like a rock opera moment. What inspired the direction of this track? 

iDKHOW: William Shatner. Back in the nineties I was a huge fan of Ben Folds Five and everything Ben Folds. And Ben Folds did this little one off project called Fear of Pop, and he did a song with William Shatner where he was sort-of narrating the song, and it made me crack up, but it was a really beautiful song. So I always wanted to do something similar. 

This song goes back a long time. When we started playing live shows as iDKHOW we only had 5 songs released so there were covers in the set as I needed to fill up an hour set. I went back to an old project I had called The Brobecks for this song because it had this great crowd harmony bit I always wanted to do. But back in The Brobecks days, we never had crowds big enough to pull that off. So when IDKHOW started to get big enough crowds I remembered that track and tried it out, and it was like this beautiful harmony moment that felt special. So I decided I needed to record it again now that it’s been brought to life. 

The crowd that is on the record for that harmony is a Salt Lake City crowd that we recorded in secret, a year or two ago. 

TB: You are heading out on a massive North American tour in March, so I have to ask, are there any plans to bring this live show to Australia this year?

iDKHOW: No plans that I know of right at this moment, but I would jump at the chance in a heartbeat to return. I love Australia. I love the people there, the fans, your culture, your movies and tv, the slag. I incorporate the slang into my life all the time. I’ve talked about this before, but even my kids call it Maccas *laughs*. 

“GLOOM DIVISION” is out now!