DAZED & OUT RELEASE DEBUT SINGLE, 'FRANKENSTEIN'

As a first release, a single of a mere 2 minutes and 57 seconds is brave. But oh how bravery pays off in the case of Dazed & Out’s ‘Frankenstein’. So much seems to crammed into this fast paced and grooving journey. And yet, there’s space for each instrument, breathing room for each line. Fantastically arranged, brilliantly performed and beautifully mixed. Dazed & Out’s debut single is worth it’s weight in gold.

There’s a Strokes tone to the guitar sound, mixed with Mark Knopfler. An exciting start to say the least. The song holds nothing back from the offset, with fast, high-hat based drums and a jaunty guitar riff. Then the vocals. I am almost lost for words as to how I should describe Whitnie Escalante’s voice. Her words are melodically spoken. Soft and gentle but with tons, and I mean tons of attitude. Sass and suaveness in equal measure. The song is a rather simple one but don’t get me wrong, I mean that in the best possible way. The opening guitar playing is catchy and effective in setting a laid back, mod-esq tone. There’s a short break after the verse, to listen to the old man snoring; a lovely addition. We breathe along with him, relaxing despite fully knowing what is coming next. The chorus. And it is bold.

The drums switch from the high-hat, to the ride cymbal which drives the song into another gear. Escalante’s voice matches it with a stunning melody and emotion. Her voice is so slick and smooth. The whole song is reminiscent of the Britpop movement and can only be described as being alike to greeting an old friend. It feels comfortable, it feels familiar, yet so modern. Dazed & Out have managed to take everything that made Britpop special and build upon it in the most individual way.

The second verse arrives suddenly. Ironically jolting us back into its lazy feel. The second chorus build upon the first vocally. Adding flares of excitement and embellishments all over. This change only furthers the dreamy state of the song. However, for a song with such a dreamy feel, it seems confusing that it was inspired by the crippling bouts of sleep paralysis that Escalante suffered.

The music video, shot in Budapest, only furthers this idea. Flicking between fast edits and matched by a grainy picture infers the suffering. One moment we see Escalante seemingly calm, and the next a cigarette is burning. A calm, picturesque view of the beautiful city followed by a bridge collapsing. The video itself was imagined and created by the talented Francesca Blakeburn and perfectly coincides with the song's tone.

As a few final words all I can really say is that this is a stunning first release and a most promising one. If Dazed & Out’s first single is of this standard, then I can only smile and wait for whatever is to follow.