The beat-driven ambiance of Domestic Scene is an expression of isolation, connection, and rediscovery. The solo project represents a departure of sorts for Michael Knorr. Cutting his teeth in various bands as a teen, Mike moved on to become a member of the experimental rock group Smallspace, where he played guitar and “made noises.” The project garnered critical praise and indie chart success with the 2005 album No Matter.
After Smallspace, Michael took a long hiatus from making music. It wasn’t until he found himself an ocean away from his midwestern origins, living and working in Heidelberg, Germany, that he returned to music. What he found was a music industry utterly transformed. The accessibility of home recording and digital distribution as well as a renaissance in the quality and variety of hardware synths on the market presented opportunities and new challenges. Ultimately, what he found was a landscape full of inspiration.
Releasing a debut EP (Sweet Light) in 2019, Michael booked his first live appearance as Domestic Scene in Zurich, Switzerland in April 2020 with plans to play gigs leading up to the release of his first full length album, Imperfectionist. The pandemic threw all those plans into chaos. Pivoting to YouTube as a creative space to present his music, Michael began uploading "jams" and quietly released Imperfectionist in June 2020. The track "Try to Forget" (Imperfectionist) was featured on the second compilation from Synthstrom Audible, "Resonance".
Over the course of 2021 Michael has been writing and recording his second full length album "Spectres" due to release in February 2022.
