After taking a few listens ( or 100+, if you’re me) of Dan Croll’s new single, From Nowhere, it’s difficult to fathom that this is his debut single (with a killer video to boot!). After departing the Liverpool band Eye Emma Jedi as bassist this year, still strong with Croll, the force is. And the great thing is, this one track, from the From Nowhere EP which features only the single and three killer remixes, has garnered enough attention to turn hundreds of blogger heads. How could one single attract this much praise? If you haven’t already jumped ahead to listen, please let me explain.
I’ll be surprised if this song doesn’t make the list of Best Tracks of 2012, let alone the Best First 10 Seconds of a Track of 2012, if such an idiosyncratic list exists. We’re treated to a groovy afro-caribbean drum machine loop in the beginning and then BOOM!: the bombastic drum intro transforms the song into a real confidence booster and reels us in. Contrasting with high-energy percussion, revving guitar and soaring melodic hooks, are lyrics lamenting about the insecurities love can sometimes make us feel:
‘Cuz every now and then I fall a bit behind Every time I stare into your eyes”
All of the elements combine to yield a beautiful paradox: we happily take strength from Croll’s weakness.
It takes some bands a few albums to master the use of dynamics and crescendos the way Croll has. But Croll has succeeded immensely, and after delivering such an ambitious single, it’ll be worth it to keep an ear to the ground for his future releases.