(SXSW 2013 flavoured!) Bands to Watch #264: Dan Croll
“Very nice track.”
“Solid goodness.”
“Love it, great song!”
“Niiiice song.”
These are all comments left by fans on the Soundcloud page of the up and coming Liverpudlian folktronica singer/songwriter Dan Croll. I’m aware that an elongated “nice” from a random stranger on the Internet is not the most reliable of endorsements, but with Paul McCartney and numerous Radio1 DJs also behind him, he’s definitely one to watch in 2013. And that includes his appearances this week at SXSW 2013.
Considering ‘Compliment Your Soul’ is only his second single, Croll has gotten about quite a bit Having already supported Michael Kiwanuka and Bombay Bicycle Club; he is currently touring America with Darwin Deez as we speak.
A breath of fresh air yet remaining vaguely familiar, the Scouse singer fits snuggly in your iTunes library perched between Metronomy and Vampire Weekend. He utilises his Ben Howard-esque pipes with actual pan-pipes and it works. Imagine if Howard went on a spiritual journey through Africa and returned re-awakened. That’s Dan Croll.
Croll’s angle is a refreshing one: he blends beautiful folk melodies with a busload of instruments to create a chaotic blend that’s very easy to get lost in. Released at the beginning of April, ‘Compliment Your Soul’ (stream it below) is the perfect example of this. It features a huge chorus backed by African folk beats, it’s unbelievably catchy. If this is the man’s second single, then I am incredibly excited for his future.
Probably the most exciting release from a Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts graduate since Liam Lynch’s United States of Whatever’ (remember that?), Dan Croll is looking to have a very successful 2013.
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20th March 2013
[...] single, ‘Compliment Your Soul’, as discussed in Tom’s Bands to Watch on the man here, will be released on the 1st of April on Racquet Records. The song now has an accompanying video, [...]