I’m infatuated with Dykk.

I am talking about this raucous band from Cleveland, Mopi Dykk – a rare species which sprung out of nowhere, metamorphosing into existence, shooting its semen all over everyone before slithering back into the cave from where it metastasized. I will go through a couple of songs here to give you some idea of what animal we are corralling here.

If I had to dig deep to conjure up some sort of genus and species relative of this group, I’d have to say that if you took Coco Rosie, Faith No More and The Temptations, soaked them in bleach, painted them in drag and lit up a blunt as well as some sage you may just have summoned the demon resembling the beautiful monstrosity that would ultimately become Mopi Dykk.

The new EP is called, “Tongue Numbness” and was released Mahall’s in Lakewood, Ohio on Monday, November, 25th 2019.

Trac 1:

“Dykksmorphia”

We come out of the gate with, “Dykksmorphia,” a slick groove with an even more slippery verse spilling lines like,

“I’m baffonin’

Yeah I’m squirrelly

I’m high strung

I come too early.”

This opening track captures one’s attention while titillating one’s dimension. It leaves the listener hanging on the precipice of every next line like a mountain goat stumbling from ledge to ledge whilst trying to understand just what one is listening to, before the music shape-shifts into some strange animal with an unknown genus. Trying to categorize this band is like trying to coax a mangy, wild cat out from under the front porch stairs. Every time you try to pick it up with your hands it scratches and hisses and squirms right out of your grip.

Trac 2:

“River Nihilism”

This is a passionate opus in which the singer, Fern Enley seamlessly transitions from slinging verse to belting it out Ella-style before dialing it back to a focused whisper- acapella, with the exception of finger snaps. At this point the sound shadows the likeness of a Motown song. It is here on EP where it becomes clear that Melancholy Richard (Mopi Dykk) is completely, entirely and without a doubt not only its own animal, it is part of its own morphed animal kingdom. ‘Mopi D’ is clearly some sort of dystopian spokesperson and one of the most evolved if not one of the most powerful voices I have heard come out of Cleveland in ice age. If someone were to ask if this band “..had something to say?” I would point out the verse below:

“…dissociation take my mind and set it free

Who am I supposed to be

I’m a fantasy

‘cause I know it’s just a dream

Well that’s how it seems

Sometimes a nightmare

The more I age, the less I scare

The apathy’s there

Time to disappear

And float upon the atmosphere

But I’m filled with fear

So I toke, laugh at all my silly jokes

Never had no hope.”

I had the rare opportunity to virtually interview Fern Enley from Mopi Dykk and here you have it as it were:

SM: You are a band who performs live but on your facebook page Mopi Dykk is referred to as, “…Melancholy Richard, A.K.A Mopi Dykk who is …one sad soul.” Who is Mopi Dykk to Fern? Is he some sort of manifested alter Ego and how much of Fern is in there or not in there?

FE: Mopi is not at all an altar ego rather he is the very vulnerable masked parts of my actual self. He is my saddest, angriest, and most existential parts of my being personified.

SM: I read that you work at The School of Rock as a vocal instructor. Your vocals seem to go from rapping, to belting it out Ella Fitzgerald-style, to screaming, to an almost motown-esque cadence. Can to talk about your philosophy/training as a vocalist?

FE: I actually have very little formal training of singing but I have a very intuitive way of living and making music, which I feel has helped me become (mostly) the teacher I aspire to be.

Fun story about me teaching at the school:

I had a residency at Herb’s Tavern back in 2014 and was playing my set, when the director of the school had finished a meal and was about to leave. When he left, he saw me playing and sat down for the rest of my set. At the end of my set he came up and told me who he was and asked “Do you want to teach?”. I replied “I don’t know how”, and he then just asked the question again, explaining that if I can figure it out great, and if not, no hard feelings. I’ve been teaching there (aside from the 2 years I lived in the UK) ever since.

SM: Tell me a bit about the band (training?), the members and how/when the group came together?

FE: The band was comprised of Hayden Frosti (guitar), J.D. Cupple (bass), and Jacob Wulf (drums).

I had actually played in a cover project with Hayden years ago when I first started pursuing music. I had bumped into him at the Beachland Ballroom in late fall 2018 and asked him if we could start a project. He said “yes but only an original project”, and I was very relieved as that is where I had started to go musically too.

Next thing I know I’m in a group chat talking about a band practice and was eager to meet the whole crew. We got together and they jammed, I oohed and ahhed, then Hayden asked me what I wanted to do. I told them the concept for Mopi Dykk I think I phrased it as ‘my inner sad boi who raps in haiku’s’ and they all said it would be fun to try out.

SM: You released your EP on a Monday which I heard someone refer to as “ballsy.” Care to comment on this?

FE: Well, I’m glad I’m filling the roll! It’s a little ironic to me, because those who know me, know that I am a self-deprecating prick, whose confidence off stage is laughable.  I am glad to know my facade was believable!

SM: What do you like on your bagel?

FE: Vegan pizza, although, now that I’m thinking about it, maybe I’d prefer taco, I just have never tried. I like the idea of carving out the taco guts, making some fajitas, and dropping ‘em in the bagel moat, and maybe frying the bagel guts for crunchy topping… I’ve got work to do.

SM: You have a song called, “River Nihilism.” There seems to be a sense of Dystopia in your songs, care to comment on how you see the state of the world and the human condition?

FE:  Ahh heck no, I mean, no offense; I just have to stay away from that topic especially in the winter. I don’t believe life is real, which brings a whole other level of doom to my depression and anxiety, but I don’t know. All I do is love, because it’s what I’m driven to do and it’s what feels right.

SM: How does music help you heal?

FE: Music is the savior to my obsessive addictive tendencies. I have actually been a recovering addict of over 5 years now, which would be impossible to do if I didn’t have anything else to occupy my mind.  Paradoxically it has me nearly perpetually stressed out and sick often times. It is just as present as the other voices in my head and also teams up to tell me I’m not working hard enough, or unique enough or relevant at all.

SM: How does your does your writing process work?

FE: My writing process is all over the place. I use a lot of random instruments, and let them speak to me. The bass is my favorite place to start. In Mopi I was very grateful to have a couple of my instrumental ideas entertained in a couple of our songs. However, in Mopi we mainly wrote our own parts, I would wait for them to create a song and then pull out my book of haikus and see which one fit best.

SM: What are some of the things/people/artists that influence or inspire you?

FE: I feel very inspired by unity and the lovely creative souls in my sphere. I also feel rejuvenated and enlightened by the children I teach as they see everything so new and abstract. I will throw three influences at ya, although this is just as difficult as your favorite bands type question. And the nominees are Joni MItchell, Fiona Apple, and the Talking Heads.

SM: This seeming character of Melancholy Richard, A.K.A Mopi Dykk, “…is a beat poet has always been inspired by the balance of tragedy and comedy.” Who is he, what is his background and why is he so sad?

FE: Well I think he is the kid who wanted to be a dancer, but lacked the technique; aspired to be a poet, but wasn’t well read enough; loved theater but was always pushed to the ensemble. I think he is a man tortured by his mind and early childhood abuse, and it took him a very long time to be able to focus on his ideas and turn it into art. Richard has a tragic past, and hellacious mind, but uses humor to stay abreast, and connected in love to the world.

SM: How does Melancholy Richard take his coffee?

FE: Black and bitter, yet watered down from his tears. Tears of sadness and gladness

SM: You have a song called, “Dykksmorphia.” There seems to be a resonance of androgyny in the music: with your statements about the band, your drummer wearing makeup, the fact that you paint on facial hair during the performances (I have seen), and specifically in the song, “PCPeople” with the lines,

Man asked my genders

And which one are you rendered

Refuse to get hurt

I said I’m neither

Or maybe I’m both

Suppose it’s just how life goes

Could you talk about this and how, if at all, gender applies to or influences the band’s/Melancholy Richard’s psyche/message?

FE: Mopi thinks gender is fine to have and to categorize yourself as if it gives you confidence and freedom. However, he hates the idea of genders having certain meanings. Gender should not divide us, or define us to others. Mopi likes the fact that he is an ‘effeminate’ male. He enjoys relating to his ‘male’ body, but dressing flamboyantly.

SM: Would you like to add anything about the EP?

FE: I just hope this EP gets shared and makes people smile. I hope that it has healing qualities, and that people really feel that our hearts were present in making that EP.

SM: When is your next performance?

FE: Well unfortunately the band dismembered after the release. We all have very busy lives, and very different ideas and expectations of our music and performances. I think we all are just glad that we took a year, and made music we enjoyed, and memories that we get to keep.

SM: What does 2020 look like for Mopi Dykk?

FE: I wouldn’t consider Mopi himself dead in the water yet. There are talks about a Leigh Bowery inspired ball. A grand ol surreal shake up some time next summer in Cleveland. Also Mopi might find himself pursuing music with other folks, but all we know is 2020 and the future of Melancholy Richard, is as big of a mystery as he was.

Like all creatures who are “too weird to live and too rare to die,” this shape shifting amalgamation has officially gone extinct and by this I mean sadly, but somehow not surprisingly this experiment has officially, unofficially disbanded. As saddening as this is, the recording still exists and of this, I feel, we need to be reverent. Take solace in the fact that after interviewing front person, Fern Enley she hints that Melancholy Richard just might rear his endangered head in some future project. No matter what incantation she comes up with I am confident it will undoubtable still carry a strain of what has been concocted in these five tracks which are filled with all the sound and fury of a Cleveland, winter storm whirling inland off of Lake Erie. Stay tuned up.

Mopi Dykk Bandcamp:

https://mopidykk.bandcamp.com/releases

Dykksmorphia video:

Mopi Dykk facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mopidykk/

By: Shawn C. Mishak