A few weeks back I received Dan Black’s new single ‘Symphonies’ which was good enough for me to include immediately on our radio show playlist. Loved it! It lifted my expectations for his debut album that I duly received last week. Dan wrote and recorded the album in the cellar of his Paris home and then brought it to London to be mixed by Tom Elmhurst (Hot Chip, Amy Winehouse, The Kills). Does one swallow make a summer? We shall see…

‘Symphonies’ opens the album in grand style. There’s that fragile young voice against a backdrop of delicate but epic vocal harmonies, monstrous melody, huge drum rhythm, good lyrics. It verges on classic as a pop single. ‘U + Me’ sees the return of that drum rhythm but this time it looms even larger aginst that fragile voice. Then there’s the massively amplified synth sound that’s made to sound like a full orchestra. Melody isn’t as strong but it’s a good second track. ‘Ectasy’ is a moodier, more thoughtful song that travels at a slower, steadier pace, and has a distinctive R&B vibe, especially during the choruses. Melody returns in full flow and there’s some very effective backing vocals to make this another sound track.

‘Alone’ has a strong disco vibe as it pretty well races along. An OK song. ‘Cocoon’ is a dark, contemplative song that crawls along at glacial pace. It has an adventurous ambience and pushes Black’s vocal to the fore. It’s another album highlight. ‘Yours’ opens with a creepy guitar passage which continues under the powerful drum rhythm, another strong melody, handclaps and chart-busting choruses. ‘Pump My Pumps’ is a threatening, dark dance number with flashes of guitar and a remorseless drum rhythm. It’s another adventurous track and a great example of the mixer’s wizardry. ‘Wonder’ offers up a spaced-out vibe with synth and echo chamber sounds dominating. Black’s voice also comes in for electronic treatment as the song changes pace very cleverly.

Of the remaining tracks the wistful ‘Cigarette Pack’ and bold dance vibe of ‘I Love Life’ shine. The album started on a high and ends on a high with the original and contemplative ambience of ‘Let Go’ with its closing keyboard notes adding a sense of high emotion. This is a fine debut from Dan Black which includes one of the best single tracks of the year. La Roux take note…

4/5