The Portland-based Pop group Dirty White Shoes brings together every classic and modern element to create a unique sound that we can’t get enough of. Keeping a dreamy yet dancy vibe to each of their songs, Dirty White Shoes music is full of honest, explicit lyrics, exciting guitar solos, exploding drum beats, and heavy synths that get the blood flowing.
Consisting of members Angel Ascencio and Jordan Waller, Dirty White Shoes is back at it again with a catchy new release “One More Night,” and this one will quickly find itself making its way to your playlists.
“One More Night” opens up with ethereal synths before pulling us in with a captivating vocal performance that beautifully leads us to an electrifying chorus that quickly gets us singing along. We felt as if we were up in the clouds while listening to “One More Night” it’s got the sense of space but also a rhythm that makes us want to get up and dance to each lyric.
With lyrics like “It was just you and me, careless and free,” we easily got the impression that “One More Night” was about longing for that person you wish to get a single moment with again. “One More Night” is full of passion and energy, and we are definitely excited to hear what else Dirty White Shoes will be creating for us to hear.
Your release “One More Night” tells us about longing for that one moment to never end and what you’ll do to feel it again. What was the inspiration behind coming up with the lyrics for this one?
Before this song, I had already written three songs about the same story. I wasn’t sold on either of them. The lyrics and music felt out of touch with what I was really trying to convey. One night I was just playing these chords that reminded me of our first single, “HLGOY”, and it brought up a memory of someone. It was a nice memory though. It was sad but nice. The sun was a pretty pink-orange tint, and it brought me back to my hometown desert skies. after taking at that moment, everything just started flowing. The chords and lyrics just clicked. The lyrics “Move to LA or fly to New York” is more symbolic for me, but it helped me build a foundation for the song. I wanted everyone to imagine their own LA or New York.
What is the general workflow like when creating music together? How do you come up with the final vocal performances and then gell that together with the instrumentation?
The funny thing is, this is mine and Jordan’s first time working on a song together. We honestly just clicked from the start. Our workflow is a little confusing, but it usually starts with a complete song I wrote. I then send a demo with a very small bit of production to give the song direction. Jordan then takes all of that and makes magic happen. Literally. Magic. He makes the song glow. After countless zoom calls, and back and forth texts, we complete the song. He then sends me the final demo, and at my home studio, I’ll track and record all the vocals. We then bundle everything up and send it off to a mixing engineer.
We were told that your music can help provide the comfort people need after an important moment in their life, is this something that you keep in mind during the initial songwriting or does that come naturally at the end?
I believe that with all my heart. Writing songs always provides me a sense of comfort and peace. I can only dream and hope it does the same for our fans. Being able to portray the images and feelings you have inside your heart and mind onto a song, that’s then played in someone’s car is a wild thought... but it’s so important. I want nothing more than for people to feel something when they listen to our music.
With your biggest influence being LANY, what about them makes them such an important idol to you? Is there a song of theirs that’s a favorite?
Huge fan of LANY... they hold a special place in my heart. They helped me get through some hard emotional times. Even to this day. To be real, I have a lot of respect for Paul and his work ethic. He’s a genius, not just on the musical side of things, but on the business, branding, and aesthetic side of it all. I look up to him, and it’d be cool to grab a coffee and just chat about life someday.
My favorite song right now is Let Me Know on the classic Malibu Nights album. That one just hits me different no matter how many times I run it haha.
What has been keeping you inspired this year?
This question is tough because there are so many things happening in our world that have been draining me of creative energy and inspiration. I have a responsibility as an artist though to put out music to help people during these hard times. They deserve it. No one should ever go through hardships alone. If listening to a Dirty White Shoes song can help a fan, that is all the inspiration I need. One day, we will get to see everyone in person during a live show, and we will get to connect again. I’ve been telling myself to take one day at a time. To focus on what’s in front of me, and be grateful for the things and people around me.