Danaher – “Control” – it’s subtle warmth is totally affecting

Born in Southern California, Los Angeles based solo artist Danaher has dropped his debut single release, entitled, “Control”. It is available on all streaming platforms since Friday (11/22). The artist promises to release his next track in January, with the perspective of doing so every 2 months. How many electronic/pop artists do you know that make you groove while telling a compelling story? This guy produces a product that has the ability to draw you in with its gently soaring melody, and subtly swelling soundscape which takes you to a special place.

Danaher isn’t the first artist to delve into creating slick soundscapes with his music. Others have all done it before with varying degrees of success. However, even a casual listen reveals that Danaher possesses an uncanny skill for creating well-crafted slices of pop.

Once you press play, “Control” quickly establishes the artist’s modus operandi as finely woven layers of keyboards, guitar, and warm soulful vocals float above the smooth backdrop so crisp and clean you could eat off it. ​The pulsing basslines and guitar motifs, all buffed to a shiny chrome finish, wash over the song without ever burying its infectious melody.

At this point, it might seem like Danaher is all concerned with form and function, and style over substance. His sounds are crisp and clean, crafted and balanced to within the narrowest margins of error. But a closer listen to the narrative, reveals that Danaher is also concerned with deep, relatable storytelling.

The track also showcases Danaher ability for mixing vocals into his music, adding human warmth to his songs. The female vocals is given the same luscious treatment as the music, adding a wistfulness that blends brilliantly with the song’s warm analog-like sound.

And for added measure, a fiery electric guitar deftly winds its way between the beat and keyboard driven atmosphere. The chorus is the track’s most epic moment, as well as its most adventurous. Danaher jettisons part of his laid-back style, opting for a thicker, more urgent sound, giving the song a more propulsive feel.

It’s for this motive that I often find myself listening to this same song 4 or 5 times in a row, as I quickly get addicted to the effortless grace the track exudes in its finest moments. The precision execution, production and engineering behind tracks like “Control” never seems to wear out, no matter how many times I’ve listened to it while travelling between home and office, and the track’s softer moments gives it a subtle warmth that’s totally affecting.

Everything on here meshes so well. The song is a prime example of how the pure mind of an artistic newcomer can truly lead to a tectonic shift for an entire genre. “Control” is accessible to a wide listener base because of its enchanting mood and catchy pop qualities. The overall atmosphere created is extremely mesmerizing. Definitely one of the best pop songs of its kind that I have heard this year.

OFFICIAL LINKS: TWITTER – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – ITUNES – SOUNDCLOUD