Dillon Van Rensburg aka: not dvr, artist/producer has returned with “prettynames”, his second single this year via XL Recordings, the track follows “emptyhouse”. “prettynames” is another display of raw vulnerability from not dvr who documents the ups and downs of teenage life via his wry lyricism, unique productions, and infectious guitar hooks; a charismatic style that has seen him accumulate a committed global fanbase. With an update to his artist moniker and a recent move to London from his hometown of North Berwick in Scotland, not dvr sets out to make 2023 his most transformative year yet.

This new music from Dillon builds on his 2022 “dirty tapes” EP, a release that presented a full-circle moment for a musician who went from DIY bedroom producer to an artist collaborating with Kenny Beats in just over a year. Through previous self-released projects including tape_01, thru the city and the u can call me dillon EP, not dvr became an organic, word-of-mouth success story, fans include, Snoop Dogg, FINNEAS, Omar Apollo, Clara Amfo and Joy Orbison.

The producer – who has worked with the likes of Rico Nasty, IDLES and Vince Staples – wanted to collaborate, so Dillon sent him the demo for “lowlife” and he loved it. With Kenny developing the production further, XL appeared on the scene and saw that same potential in Dillon. At the top end of 2021, he followed up his debut with a collection of demos called, u can call me dillon, including “16”, a love song played on his school piano and recorded to his phone in just one take.

That year Dillon finally released “lowlife”, his first official single and a downtrodden number in the vein of King Krule, inspired by a particularly dark period of illness. It sat at the heart of the artist’s altogether grungier EP, dirty tapes, which was released in January 2022. The project documented the past year and a half of Dillon’s life – the ups and downs (but if he’s honest, mostly downs) of an unrelenting battle with both his physical and mental health. The struggle is audible. “The EP progressively gets more depressing,” he states, matter of factly. its title track opener lays out the artist’s ambitions, while on “stupid” (which is crying out for a Netflix coming-of-age sync) he starts to notice shit going wrong. Then, the self-deprecation of “lowlife” hits and things spiral further, with Dillon admitting that “drugs” was made “at a point of complete despair”.

What Dillon’s really excited about though, is the fact that people are already sliding into his DMs asking for production advice. The speed at which things have come full circle, without a doubt testament to both his ambition and talent. “I think the coolest thing ever is inspiring people with my music, in the same way that Kenny or Tyler or Dave did for me,” he says. “I just want to make other people want to make music.” And when the world hears dirty tapes, in all its raw vulnerability, it’s certain to have the desired effect.

Purchase “prettynames” by notdvr HERE