Dark Delight: The Lyric

I am starting off by sharing my new lyric, “Dark Delight,” which is a prelude to my Summer 2026 project which will meld electronic, trance, and industrial into an EDM umbrella. This will be a dark project which will touch on painful and/or dangerous relationships.

I decided to study up on the characteristics of EDM lyrics. Garnering this knowledge led me to exploring a darker depth of emotions and mental health struggles. I have dabbled with this theme before with my experimental rock concept album Voices, based on my fictional psychological thriller of the same name.

My last project Orbit Radiate Pulse helped me to gain a great appreciation for EDM, trance, and related genres. The Summer 2026 project will combine themes and musical styles from both Voices and Orbit Radiate Pulse.

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I share with you my lyric as a poem:

“Dark Delight”

[Pre-Verse]

I should run away from you

Dark delight

[Verse 1]

You are hiding in my shadows

Static pulse at night

Muted meadows

Charging light

[Pre‑Chorus 1]

Danger looming

But I crave it

Echoes vibrate gloom

[Chorus 1]

I should run away from you

Dark delight

Shivering fright

But I love you

Angel’s curse

Dark delight

Shadow fight

[Bridge]

Inner struggle

Tug of war

Emotional chaos

Dark delight

you’re my refuge

I’m your slave

Broken by your laceration

[Verse 2]

Neon fractures in your style

Shiver in your voice

Polaroid fading smiles

Shocking choice

[Pre‑Chorus 2]

Danger looming

But I crave it

Echoes vibrate gloom

[Chorus 2]

I should run away from you

Dark delight

Shivering fright

But I love you

Angel’s curse

Dark delight

Shadow fight

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Now for a little fun…

If I had to name the three musicians who have influenced me the most, they would be:

Jim Morrison — In the 1980s, I practically wanted to be him.

Pink Floyd — Equal parts David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Syd Barrett.

David Bowie — For a while, I thought I was Bowie.

And if any of these three were ever to fall from the pedestal, Jimi Hendrix is waiting in the wings to claim his rightful throne.

Since my focus is lyric writing, I naturally draw inspiration from Morrison, Bowie, Barrett, Waters, and Hendrix. Their voices, imagery, and emotional daring shape the way I approach language.

When it comes to guitarists—of which I am not one—my writing has still always been for guitar‑driven music. The guitar has been a major force in how I hear rhythm, phrasing, and emotional contour.

My top three guitarists:

Jimi Hendrix — First and forever. Through the 1980s I lost myself thousands of times in his radical, dreamy, spirit‑bending guitar work. His guitar and lyrics often felt fused with my own inner world. I still wonder what he might have created had he lived another twenty years. His influence is already monumental, but I believe he would have reshaped innovation throughout the ’70s and ’80s in ways we can only imagine.

Jimmy Page — I dug deeply into Led Zeppelin’s musicianship. The way four individuals could generate such force, individuality, and unity is mesmerizing. Page’s sublime, versatile playing is impossible to overlook—and the world hasn’t. He’s rightfully recognized as one of the greatest.

David Gilmour — I have a soft spot for Gilmour’s impossibly smooth, heart‑melting guitar tone. No one can make a single note feel like a moonbeam the way he can.

Just outside my top three is Carlos Santana. I love his entire catalog, even his most recent work, but his jazz‑infused albums from 1972–1978—Caravanserai, Welcome, Illuminations, Borboletta—are among my all‑time favorites.

Then there’s Omar Rodriguez‑Lopez, one of the most creative, groundbreaking guitarists of the last twenty years. I absolutely love this man’s work.

Of course, there are countless extraordinary female musicians, singers, and songwriters. My top three:

Donna Summer — A powerhouse with astonishing versatility. Despite selling over 100 million records, she still feels underrated to me. Her voice resonates deeply, and songs like “MacArthur Park,” “I Feel Love,” “Hot Stuff,” “Working the Midnight Shift,” “Love Is in Control,” and “It’s Only Love” are among my most‑played.

Karen Carpenter — Preteen and teenage me tucked her voice somewhere soft and permanent in my mind. Whether or not you love the Carpenters’ style, Karen had a rare ability to draw you into that soft place where crescent noons and crystal lullabies live. Her dark, velvety tone is heavenly. Richard’s arrangements showcased her beautifully, but I still believe her full potential—especially as a jazz vocalist—was never fully tapped. Tracks like “All I Can Do,” “Another Song,” “This Masquerade,” “Goofus,” and “B’wana She No Home” hint at what could have been had the innate jazz side of her voice been fully developed. Add her understated drumming, and she becomes undeniable.

Joni Mitchell — She completes my trio. A legendary songwriter in every sense. I’m especially drawn to her jazz‑leaning era: Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, and Mingus.

Outside the top three: Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Aretha Franklin, Julieta Venegas (this lady is wildly talented), Esperanza Spalding, Debbie Harry, and Carly Simon (her sense of humor is unmatched).

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With Love, RHC ❤️