With their diverse musical backgrounds and hard-edge sound, the Los Angeles County band Dankrupt, set their sites extremely high with their debut EP titled Moonlight, which hit digital shelves last week on March 13th, 2015. Dankrupt, in their own words, “is not just a dream, but a way of life that can be shared and spread to anyone willing to take part in the experience.” The band, which consists of Grant Bogorad (vocals, guitar), Tim Canton (drummer), Enrique Paris (lead guitar), Nick Banaszak (bass), and Derek Shields (keys,vocals) have put together a solidly unique new release. Notes of Latin, funk, ska, hip hop as well as obvious hints from their influences Sublime, 311, Jack Johnson and Iration can all be heard distinctly throughout their latest EP.
Most artists today in modern music will fall flat on their faces without the aid of synths, overly produced tracks and reverb that is layered on way too thick. Dankrupt’s execution on Moonlight carries a certain finesse that is unquestionably eye-opening and very much appreciated. The raw instrumentals throughout the five track EP carries a lush tone with an underscore of numerous musical directions, making for very unexpected and exciting impressions.
Dankrupt does a fine job of tethering various genres together seamlessly.
A perfect illustration would be the opening track “Ghost Of You” where the song guides you through gently with certain expectations, but then lays down a nice reggae undertone which leads you to a hip hop-esque sequence of lyrics. From there, near the tail end of the track, Dankrupt makes a hard right turn into a sea of intense guitar riffs along with an expansive wailing solo. A tip of the hat to 311? Maybe.
Another fine example of their smooth and unexpected transitions can be found on the title track “Moonlight.” Dankrupt does a fine job of tethering various genres together seamlessly. The ominous intro combined with the delicate notes from the keyboard along with the hard hitting bass guitar make for a beautifully and impressively composed track.
When asked what we should be expecting from Dankrupt this year, vocalist Grant Bogorad responded, “2015 has been an eye opening year for us. Our goal is to play and grow as much as possible, while spreading our spontaneous musical vibrations to the masses. We are traveling all over Southern California on our Spring Tour promoting the new Moonlight EP. We just recorded a live studio video of our single, “Fly Through the Clouds” coming later this year and we’ll be producing one more music video supporting the Moonlight EP very soon. Right now is the time to put our heads down and get to work. You will be seeing a lot more Dankrupt in this Cali Reggae scene!!”
It’s going to be an exciting year for Dankrupt, so make sure to give them a visit on their website and a follow on Facebook.
Preview and download Moonlight from
Moonlight track listing
- Ghost of You
- Happy Hour
- Moonlight
- Relax
- Again & Again
Dankrupt – Ghost of You (Feat. Johnny Love) – Official Video
Released: March 13, 2015
Upcoming shows
- Saturday – March 14th, 2015 – Slidebar – Fullerton, CA
- Saturday – March 28th, 2015 – El Rey Cantina – Ventura, CA
- Saturday – April 4th, 2015 – Santa Barbara Taproom – Santa Barbara, CA
- Tuesday – April 7th, 2015 – Slidebar – Fullerton, CA
- Saturday – April 11th, 2015 – King Harbor Brewing – Redondo Beach, CA
- Friday – April 17th, 2015 – Rusty’s Surf Ranch – Santa Monica, CA
- Tuesday – April 21st, 2015 – Venice Whaler Venice, CA
- Saturday – April 25th, 2015 – Summer Meltdown Festival – Santa Clarita, CA
- May 7th, 2015 – Saint Rocke – Hermosa Beach, CA
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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