The latest single from AUK-favourite Dean Owens rolls and flows, rocking and riding along like the character we follow in Ruth Barrie’s (Waltzer Films) immersive music video. ‘Wall of Death’ uses circus imagery to explore what it is like to live with and to try to escape from ‘the black dog.’ Owens explains the song’s theme: “A song of escape and of trying to cope with that old black dog called depression that pays me and many others in this world an unwanted visit from time to time. ‘The black dog is dead, long live the black dog’.” That circus world, and the characters who inhabit it, inspired the AI-generated video, which was fully storyboarded by Ruth and Dean to create the narrative and images that Ruth imagined, before edited it down to create the moody final piece. While AI was involved, Ruth very much harnessed the technology to realise her vision.
Musically, ‘Wall of Death’ features the pulsating, energetic drumming of Owens’ friend from Calexico, John Convertino, alongside Italian drummer Piero Perelli. The throbbing double bass from Danilo Gallo is the platform for rich layers and instrumental flourishes from Nicola Peruch on keys, Luca Giovacchini on guitars and dobro and Don Antonio’s compelling guitar-work. Added flair comes from Vanni Crociani’s horn arrangements, with Francesco Bucci’s trombone and Michele Vignali on baritone and tenor saxophones. That full-band production and full sound give the song great depth and texture.
This is the latest single from Owens’ album “Spirit Ridge”, which was released to critical acclaim earlier this year. During 2025, as well as delivering the album, Owens has spent a month in Australia, including a slot at the renowned Port Fairy Folk Festival, appeared at Celtic Connections, and toured the Netherlands and Italy. Next year, Owens will appear, alongside The Sinners, at an official showcase at Folk Alliance International in New Orleans. In the meantime, he’s looking to the future and is fundraising for his next album, provisionally titled “Glimmers”. Check it out here. It’s a collection that celebrates the little pleasures (or glimmers) we experience in everyday life, from hearing a magical song to enjoying the day’s first cup of coffee. Something to look forward to as we ride the wall of death.
