On October 4th, South Carolina musician Doug McCarthy, aka devəlmāˈker, is releasing a new ethereal emo folk track, “0 Miles To Empty.” It’s a lush, haunting song about finding oneself and reckoning with self doubt. “I don’t know how to fight/without changing my life/Who do I want to be?” he sings on the chorus.
While the song is lo-fi and stripped down (it’s mainly guitars and McCarthy’s vocals, with sparse percussion), it’s still very full sounding thanks to the emotive layered vocals and gorgeous guitar flourishes.
devəlmāˈker (pronounced “devil may care”) has been steadily releasing eerie, introspective tracks over the course of 2022. Prior to this, he put out “if a tree falls” and has also released an EP, Antonym, Pt. 1. McCarthy was also previously a member of the pop-rock band The Higher.
McCarthy is one of the first people we interviewed for our Home Studio Stories. He chatted with us about stepping out of his comfort zone and jumping into the world of self-production. Tracks like “0 Miles To Empty” are even more impressive knowing that it’s been crafted by one dedicated, passionate person in their own homes. And that passion is palpable when listening to these visceral, honest tracks.
Give our interview with McCarthy a read if you haven’t already, and be sure to pre-save “0 Miles To Empty.” Follow devəlmāˈker over on Twitter, check out his bandcamp, and stream his EP and singles wherever you get your music!