DYAN

Add Date: August 30

Artist: DYAN

Album: Looking for Knives

Label: Self-released

Genre: Indie pop, electropop

Comments: Originally written by Alexis Marsh and Samuel Jones between 2012 and 2015, DYAN's debut album Looking for Knives is a delectable collection of toned-down synthpop. Beginning with "Another Way to Lose", listeners are welcomed into a world of meticulously crafted melodies which, despite their serene surfaces, teem with life. These are songs seemingly designed for easy listening rather than raving, but DYAN still knows how to make audiences groove; "St. James" initially consists of little more than Marsh's voice, some droning tones, and a simple snare-bass beat, but suddenly it erupts into a vibrant array of dazzling synths. This "formula" is literally made visible by the album's cover art; this composition, which is dominated by a blank stone wall, features three openings which reveal a mass of multicolored flowers behind the structure. Moving between synth-driven numbers and acoustic ones, such as the delightful "Ooh Song", DYAN sounds like a group beyond its years -- one which we ought to take notice of now.

Recommended Tracks: 2, 4, 5, 8, 6

DNP: none