David LK Murphy

Born and raised in New York City, Elkay, as his friends call him, grew up laying cello, drums, a little piano and even some trumpet. Submerged in the downtown music scene at a young age, Murphy picked up the guitar and started writing songs in his early teens. Like a bluesman waltzing to Mozart, Murphy's songs are hypnotic and rough as well as intimate and candid. Born from a mouth of sharpened teeth and delivered with a lilting precision, his lyrics draw from both poetry and pop culture alike. Murphy recently returned to his hometown after a stint in Philadelphia and a tour of the US and Germany. He was quickly adopted by the Antifolk community that congregates and writes at the reknown East Village hub, Sidewalk Cafe. He also entered the studio with producer Jason Marcus to record his debut EP, "Goodbye." Six songs long, with a supporting cast of rising stars, "Goodbye" is a departure from standard folk and indie-acoustic fair. Joined by sirens Sarah Bowman (The Bowmans) and Erin Regan, Murphy's voice rises from the ghostly chorus of Shilpa Ray's harmonium (Beat the Devil), shining throughout each song. There is a tension in his music. The tension rises from singing the unspoken. Like the blues, Murphy's songs are triumphant even in their melancholy. His music bears this out, carrying a subtle joy even as his songs hint at death itself. Murphy is currently in pre-production for his debut full-length album, which he will release independently via Elkay Records next summer.