For a lot of us, the pandemic was terrible, but that cruel reality did not stop creators like Luke Berglin, a.k.a. Urban Castro, from finding ways to express themselves. In 2022, he felt like writing songs that reflected the state of living through COVID. This is when his sad indie-rock project Depression Nap came to be. Now, after releasing a handful of singles and an EP while working with producers and songwriters like troubadour Daniel Markham, Berglin is excited to debut the Depression Nap LP Midnight Music with a release show at The Boiled Owl Friday night.
“I guess I was going through the post-COVID crap we all went through,” Berglin said. “I had been laid off for the second time in three years. I was having PTSD because of that and losing benefits. I was off my medication, so I was like, ‘You know I’m going to start writing and formulating actual songs.’ ”
Depression Nap is more of a collective than a band, Berglin said. Along with multi-instrumentalist Markham, guitarist Kevin England (Cool Jacket), drummer Joshua Graves (YellowBelly), multi-instrumentalist Joey Johnson (Oatmeal Pizza), bassist Jackdaw Russell (Crooked Bones), and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Thomas have all performed as Depression Nap.
Berglin and Markham recorded all the tracks at an art house space owned by Fort Worth printmaker Andrew Hammond Kendall about a two-hour drive west of Fort Worth in Romney. Markham mastered Midnight Music at his home studio in February.
“Working with [Markham] is very natural and laid back,” Berglin said. “We are friends, so it’s really just hanging out. I’ve recorded with him twice now. He just gets in the zone and bangs shit out. I also think we share an appreciation for the immediacy of not overthinking things, just doing it and putting it out. We share a lot of the same references, so we generally tend to be on the same wavelength with things, and it’s always such a treat to see what he does with his guitar playing on everything. He’s extremely gifted, and it’s a blessing to get to collaborate with him.”
Of the nine tracks, “Toughen Up,” “I’ll Find a Way,” and “Crucified” explore groovy, transcendental themes. Markham also plays bass and drums, including on the semi-gothic track “Ghost,” with Berglin singing in his haunting baritone, “I thought that this was meant to be / But how the tables turned / I let you get the best of me / Another lesson learned / I changed all of my ways for you / And rearranged my home /And even lying next to you / I always felt alone / And when I cleared a path for you / You ran the other way / I’m not chasing after you / There’s nothing left to say.”
Midnight Music is a snapshot of those hectic days and these crazy times mixed with an artist’s duty to relate to real-life feelings and situations.
“Knowing that I can produce something that people can connect with and perform with makes me want to continue to create,” Berglin said. “It’s a great feeling expressing yourself musically. It helps to process things and gives a sense of purpose.”
Depression Nap Album Release Show
9:30pm Fri w/YellowBelly at The Boiled Owl Tavern, 909 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth. No cover. 21+. 817-920-9616.
