ARK IDENTITY Finds Beauty in the Chaos on Surreal New 'Deluxe Nightmare' EP, Helmed by Cathartic Title Track
Toronto dream-pop artist ARK IDENTITY (Noah Mroueh) unveils his most expansive work yet with Deluxe Nightmare, a surreal and euphoric six-track EP that captures the tension between chaos and clarity.
At its centre is the title track, a grungy, distorted, cathartic release that transforms a childhood fear into cinematic sound. Built on live one-take drum and guitar beds, “Deluxe Nightmare” is made complete with shouting section cues in the background – a perfectly imperfect moment that mirrors the unravelling of a nightmare in real time.
“As a child, I had this recurring dream of flying monkeys breaking through the glass of my bedroom window,” Noah shares. “I wanted the title track to sound grungy and distorted and almost claustrophobic at times. I used fuzzy guitars, kept some of the rougher vocal takes, and leaned into repetition so it feels like you’re stuck in a loop or a bad dream that you can't wake up from.”
Listen to Deluxe Nightmare in full HERE.
Watch the official “Deluxe Nightmare” video HERE.
The musical palette expands from distorted anthems to more intimate reflections across Deluxe Nightmare’s six tracks. ARK IDENTITY threads dream-pop, psychedelic pop, and alternative rock into something wide-ranging yet connected. The EP closes with its title track, which fades out to the surreal sound of screaming monkeys and their flapping wings, a haunting finale that perfectly captures the spirit of Deluxe Nightmare.
Deluxe Nightmare finds its beauty not by avoiding discomfort, but by diving straight into it. “This EP taught me to stop avoiding things that make me uncomfortable,” Noah elaborates. “A lot of these songs started from anxious thoughts or moments of fear, but instead of shutting them out – I leaned into them. That mindset opened me up creatively.”
In the morning hope I’m gonna be here
I can feel them chasing after me
The sequel to ARK IDENTITY’s debut ANNDALE EP, Deluxe Nightmare continues Noah’s journey into immersive, all-analog dreamscapes. Euphoric yet haunting, distorted yet intimate, the project captures a strange comfort: even when fear takes hold, there’s still release on the other side.
Named one of “the most exciting new artists of 2024ˮ by EARMILK, Noah has quickly gained attention for crafting immersive soundscapes that feel both timeless and contemporary.
Following his debut EP ANNDALE in late 2024, ARK IDENTITY earned playlist support from Apple Music US, Amazon Music and Spotify and a distribution deal with ADA, a division of Warner Music.
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