Artist Spotlight: Dimmer Switch

This article was originally written for the July 2008 issue of The LaSallian, the official student publication of De La Salle University, re-edited for this blog. The band has since parted ways.

Driving my sister’s baby blue minicar from Metro Manila’s cemetery central to the brightly lit Eastwood City in Libis, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I’m not really into the whole rock scene and I’ve only watched a handful of gigs, all of which I was either with or watching friends. This time, I was alone, in an unfamiliar place to interview a band, only one member of which I knew. All I could think about is how sorely I would probably stand out from the homogeny of rock enthusiasts. Arriving a little early, I watched the other bands that performed in Club Dredd that night whilst nervously gulping my complimentary Coors Light, hoping no one would notice the nerdy writer tucked into the far corner of the bar. A few minutes later, they arrived. “There he is!” exclaimed Daniel Lynch, who I've met in some of my classes, and the bassist of the band. He introduced me to his girlfriend and their drummer. Some small talk and another bottle of beer later, the hostess finally welcomed the next band to perform that night: Dimmer Switch.

Digital Cohesion

They were the last to perform that night, which meant we had the perfect opportunity to talk about their music. The vocalist, Roanna Ruiz, felt sick but was well enough to answer some of my questions. We first talked about their history, which is as unconventional as their music. Roanna or Ro, as her band mates call her, was doing an Electronica project called Project Spurious together with trip-hop musician Mike. They eventually decided the music would be better if they added live instruments. To find potential band mates, Ro and Mike went online. First to join was Irishman and fellow Lasallian Daniel Lynch, who came to the Philippines supposedly for a vacation but has found more than a few reasons to stay. “They started searching on MySpace, posting bulletins, looking for a guitarist, a drummer, and a bassist, which, actually I didn’t even answer! Roanna actually started messaging me on MySpace saying, ‘Hey, you play bass don’t you?’ So, eventually I agreed, I went to the first jam, and that’s how we got started,” Dan narrates. Next to join is Juni Devecais, a French Canadian guitarist, producer, music engineer, and self-confessed band whore. He also plays for other bands, as well as produce other artists like Miguel Escueta. Finally, Pasig native Mark Gamil signed on to play drums. They were still known as Project Spurious at this point, until a spat with Mike—who came up with the name—pushed them to change names. Dan explains, “He came back since then, but Project Spurious was the name of him and Roanna’s project before, [which] we kept for the band when we started out. Dimmer Switch was just something I just thought of. It’s got no real meaning or anything. It just… sounds alright for a band name.”

Eclectic Electric

Blending elements from Electronica, Punk, Metal, and Pop, Dimmer Switch’s music is hard to describe, even to the band. “It’s like a fusion of new school, mixed with pop, and aggression, with melodies that you can really get used to. You know, it’s listener-friendly, but at the same time it gets your blood going,” explains Juni.

The members of Dimmer Switch come from varied backgrounds, not just geographically or racially, but also musically. Dan, who used to play for a punk band back in Ireland, brings in a lot of punk elements to the sound with fast bass riffs, while Juni, who came from the heavy metal scene in Canada, adds aggressive electric guitars into the mix. Mark is into progressive rock and gives their music its furious successive beats, blended together with Mike’s hip-hip-infused samples. Ro’s vocals, imbued with grunge and pop, serve as the melody of their songs.

Malevolent Assimilation

Another thing that makes Dimmer Switch interesting is how they came together despite coming from different parts of the world. Dan originally went to the Philippines for a vacation about four years ago. “My dad started working here and my parents moved over here. They were here about a year before I came over. And then after a six-month vacation, I just found too many reasons to stay,” says the tall Limerick local. Juni, on the other hand, is all about the music. “I came here with a friend, and our goal was to actually change the music here in the Philippines and make it more international-sounding. [He left] but I’m still here, still pioneering my way through that, a crusade to change the sound [of local music]. I didn’t plan to play in bands when I came here, but, now I’m in like 3 different ones. It’s just something I can’t stop doing. So, just music basically brought me here, nothing else.” They both had a hard time adjusting at first. The heat, the political turmoil, the traffic, and even people’s attitudes, took a little getting used to. “I’m kinda just appreciating it a bit more. [I’m] settling in a lot better than I did a couple years ago.” Juni adds, who has been here for three years. On the plus side, both of them see the great potential of the musicians here. “That potential, we’ve gotta reach it. And that’s what I’m here to do,” Juni says.

Indie Internationale

Things have been going great for the band. They play their music on the hottest stages, the same ones where a lot of the great Filipino bands stood. They have a couple of songs circulating on the radio, and they have earned the respect of their colleagues. Not everyone is tuning in though. “Lately I’ve been hearing comments about my work—that it sounds too foreign – from the more established people here in the industry like recording companies and recording studios,” Juni starts. “But that’s kind of my whole point, you know? ‘Foreign’ to them sounds polished, clean, and professional. And everyone knows how local sounds, and they distinguished between the two themselves. And they’re bashing me for sounding foreign? I am foreign. And I work with people [who] want that sound.”

Turn the Switch

 The bar is now empty, a broken beer bottle on the floor, ample fluorescent light illuminating the room. Even though the stage is empty, I can still hear the music ringing in my ears, ambient beats under aggressive guitar riffs and strong melodic vocals. The hour-long drive was definitely worth it. If you’re looking for a whole new brand of rock, lend an ear to these pioneers. Dimmer Switch can be heard on 105.9 RJ FM and can be seen live in various bars around the metro including Club Dredd in Eastwood City and RJ Bar in Jupiter St., Makati. You can also sample some of their songs on their MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/dimmerswitchmusic.

Photos taken from Roanna Ruiz's Facebook page