Stripped of monikers and aliases, Ian Dominic Breen presents a raw portrait of himself and his surroundings on debut album Out Of Focus In The Dark. At Its surface, Out Of Focus… is a pop fantasy harkening back to the days of New Order and Depeche Mode. With this as his vehicle, Breen explores his own vulnerability through vocals and lyricism that are sensual, honest and often flamboyant, using personal anecdotes to explore both heart and hometown.

Elements of his city and its drab allure are the backdrop to his stories, as Manchester is a place of perpetual grey skies and sprawling industrialization. These aesthetic elements echo through the mechanical percussion and icy synth landscapes employed within the record. The instrumentals are crafted in such a meticulous way, invoking the feeling of lighting an early morning cigarette in the parking lot of a motel, alone in the middle of nowhere, engulfed in the deafening lack of life around you, sitting with your darkest thoughts.