Following up an acclaimed debut album can be hard. The bar is set exponentially high by outsiders not to mention what expectations a band sets for themselves. The sophomore slump can be a real, soul crushing, and even career ending, but New York’s Dakota Jones has knocked their sophomore album Heartbreakers Space Club out of the park.
Correction, Dakota Jones have knocked their sophomore album Heartbreakers Space Club out of this planetary orbit.
Of Heartbreakers Space Club, Tristan says,
Heartbreakers Space Club – doubling as both something celestial and a place that you hold for yourself, is where you lose yourself to find yourself, break yourself down to build back up into the most authentic version of you. One moment you’re sitting in a dark corner of the bar smoking a cigarette, gazing out of the window into a candy pink sky, the next moment all of the walls disappear and you’re floating in the middle of nothing, weightless and without a care. Let it take you there.
As an admirer of Greek Mythology and any artist who manages to put Sisyphus into a song is a winner in my book. Dakota Jones manages to give a shout out to the stone rolling man himself in the first track, “Moon Song” and it is poetry in motion.
There are voices that strike one in the soul and like Barry White, and Tristan Carter-Jones is hot on his heels with her deep, rich, and seductive voice that resonates in one’s heart and soul. It’s heard beautifully in “Call It Off” and “Misbehave Me”.
“Sugar Pie” the first single from the album, is smothered and covered in sexy funk and smooth jazz and flows effortlessly into the track, “Feel Something”. The latter finds Tristan’s voice ethereal and delicate as angel’s wings and the drums of Steve Ross, guitar of Eddy Marshall, and bass of Scott Jet Kramp further add to that celestial sound, creating a song that soars with lightness. Bonus, it has a saxophone.
A wonderful ode to 90’s hip hop, “Dissent’N’Gin”, still a personal favourite, was inspired by New York’s ever changing attitude and rumbles throughout the song’s bass and beat. The song wonderfully showcases the influence of the music and life in New York.
Perhaps the song that captures the essence of Dakota Jones’ energy for Heartbreakers Space Club is “Countdown”. With the band exploring and experimenting on grooves and sounds of the future, “Countdown” expresses their musical growth. Tristan’s vocal range is perfectly partnered with delicious funky bass, jazzy drums, and a guitar riff that is downright infectious.
Heartbreakers Space Club by Dakota Jones is out of this world fantastic and percolates with heart and helluva lot of soul.
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Misbehave Me”, “Call It Off”, “Sugar Pie”, “Feel Something”, “Countdown”
FAVOURITE TRACKS: “Dissent’N’Gin”, “Moon Song”, “Countdown”
Heartbreakers Space Club is out on June 2nd.
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Listen to these tracks from Heartbreakers Space Club
