Hello Destroy//Exist readers!
We are Dina Summer, a Berlin-based trio bringing together Kalipo (Jakob) and Local Suicide (Max and myself). The guys hail from Bavaria and I am from Greece, and we have been releasing music together under this project since 2019.
We are incredibly excited to share our new mini-album Children of the Night - out now digitally and on vinyl via Iptamenos Discos, the label Max and I run. The initial blood-red and transparent pressings sold out online before the release date and are now strictly limited to a few select record stores, but we already have a repress ready!
You can check out the album here.
Children of the Night Album
The title of the album is taken from my favorite line in the 1931 Dracula with Bela Lugosi. When he stands at the stairs of his castle in Transylvania while the wolves are howling in the background, he says: "Listen to them, children of the night, what music they make." You can hear exactly this line in the intro of our mini-album.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been obsessed with vampires, horror, and anything paranormal, and the Dracula film remains an all-time favorite. Max and I actually watched it again in the summer to grab screenshots for our designer to turn into T-shirts. It is such a magical film - the direction, photography, and script are timeless, even in black and white. There were way too many beautiful moments, so we took lots of screenshots, but then decided to go for these two:
Burning Heart
A romantic synth-Italo disco number driven by desire and the complexities of relationships. The video was created by our brilliant Paris-based filmmaker friend Ceyda Yagiz
Komodo 3000
This one was actually inspired by a ridiculously big firework from Malcolm in the Middle. In the episode, Francis's brothers come to visit him because they want their brother back the way he used to be and want him to spend more time with them. Knowing how much he always loved fire and explosions, they set up a colossal firework as a grand gesture. It ends up blinding the protagonists for a few days, but the consensus is that "it was so worth it."
Music wise: It translates that explosive energy into a raw electro-techno track built for the dancefloor.
On the Road
Inspired by one of my favorite books of all time, Jack Kerouac's classic novel of the same title. Musically, it leans heavily into post-punk and features guitars played by our talented friend Joshua Murphy, an Australian musician who also plays with Crime & the City Solution.
The video has been created by two young filmmakers, Andy Vela and Juta Jakobsone.
Fuel
Another peak-time track for the dancefloor - this one is all about bringing the flame. Always bringing energy to the table!
Video by this wonderful team - Juta Jakobsone, Josefina Carvallo, Andy Vela, and Theodore Tang.
Bats in Paris
A more mellow, synthwave-oriented piece that captures the feeling of being an outsider looking in.
Video by the amazing AI artist, Wanja Olten.
Voodoo
Another heavy-hitting driver for the dancefloor, featuring tongue-in-cheek lyrics that serve as a direct warning: don't mess with me, because you'll regret it! :D
It’s a fiercely empowering track for anyone who's ever dealt with bullying or being mistreated.
Children of the Night
Beyond the cinematic inspiration, the title track itself is an inspiring call to action about taking control of your life, sticking together with like-minded people, and fighting to achieve the best.
Rat Race
Rounding out the release, this is a more reflective post-punk track about breaking free from the relentless cycle of the rat race in modern urban cities.
To celebrate the new album, we’re heading out on a massive tour with dates across Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, and the Czech Republic, alongside a Latin American run through Colombia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. We hope to see as many of you as possible on the road! You can check the exact dates on our website: https://dinasummer.berlin/ - with more TBA soon!
Listen to our album on spotify.
Dina Summer