With his boy-next-door moniker which fully synergises with his genre-fluid sonic identity, DanFromUpstairs is easy to adore. The Brighton-based artist’s latest single, Love, featuring Luke Matthews is a veritable exposition of how much of a forte orchestrating authentic alt-pop earworms is to him. I can safely guarantee you won’t find a more deadpan love song on the airwaves, and that is just scratching the surface of the ingenuity in Love.
As the pseudo-hip-hop beat slaps, the pop melodies stroke with their lush 90s-tinged aesthetic creating an expansive contrast with the intersections of scuzzy synths and raw indie rock guitars which rough the smooth edges of the polished production that you’ll need a serious concussion to forget.
As a true conduit of sonic experimentation who knows exactly which textures, tones and stylistic elements to synthesise into his narratives to ensure innovation doesn’t deviate into obscurity and veers towards commercial potential instead, DanFromUpstairs is standing at the vanguard of the modern genre-bending trend.
The official music video for Love will premiere on September 13; stream it on YouTube.
To connect with DanFromUpstairs and keep up to date with news of his forthcoming debut album, Hopeless Fables, which promises to deliver a continuous fever dream as the track grooves between electronica, funk, hip-hop, jungle and rock, follow the artist on Instagram.
Review by Amelia Vandergast