When the world went into a global lockdown throughout 2020 and 2021, singer and songwriter Richard Dee Vine did what most of us did, turned to new creative outlets and a healthy dose of alcohol to help idle the hours away. As life in lockdown took hold, Richard began working on a new project, composing a string of new tracks that would later become ‘6 Songs Under Water’.
Released under the name Niacin Library, the rough-and-ready album is a vibrant burst of sounds, stitching together dynamic blends of heavy alt-rock, blues, and post-punk to deliver a unique and unforgettable experience. Composed ‘under various forms of intoxication’, the album takes inspiration from John Lee Hooker, Neil Young, Sonic Youth, and Rancid, giving it a wild, creative energy that is as diverse and explosive as it is brilliant.
From the opening stumbles and keen acoustic guitar of ‘Papa Loves Mama’, you can tell that the album is going to be an intimate experience. With minimal production, letting the raw nature of the songs shine through, ‘6 Songs Under Water’ is Richard at his most authentic, creating a textured wall of sound. In keeping with this spirit, the opening track of ‘Papa Loves Mama’ was composed and recorded in one single take, adding to its impact.
Speaking about the album, Richard added, “The term ‘under water’ comes from the recording and editing decisions that were based around saturating the sound to the point of it feeling less like a strictly acoustic guitar recording and more like something out of a dream or the bottom of a bottle.”
While the album was originally released in 2021 to only a few low-key platforms, the positive feedback Richard has received since then has led him to re-release the album on all major platforms. A unique and immersive snapshot of life in isolation, ‘6 Songs Under Water’ is an honest account influenced by drug use, solitude, and improvised, genre-shifting songcraft.
For more from Richard, including some of his more conventional recordings such as ‘How To Trick A Card’ and ‘Amazed’, be sure to check out his full back-catalogue on Spotify and Bandcamp.
Connect with Niacin Library,
