Alternative R&B duo, DAN.G allows us to transport into the depths of our inner peacefulness with their nostalgic new single, “Never Go.”
Reigning from Portland, Oregon, this blissful duo brings together elements of Lo-fi, Indie, and R&B vibes that create a nostalgic yet modern sound. DAN.G consists of a harmonious singer/songwriter, Daniel Garrett, and Jesse Valdez tackling the striking production and instrumentation.
Together they continue to provoke feelings of tranquility and empowerment, mirroring their life experiences during the writing process. This R&B record provides us with sensuality and amplified desire as DAN.G exudes their artistic talents in, “Never Go.”
“Never Go,” opens up with futuristic Lo-fi elements accompanying the rich and mellow bassline and sparse snare hits. The sparkling hi-hats and keys add a shimmer to the otherwise dark instrumentation transporting us into a blissful utopia.
Daniel Garrett hits a sweet, unique flavor of vocals that we feel through the speakers with each melodious element he visits. The dominance in his delivery remains present as he bounces between cadences and switches from the sultry, warm notes in the tunes he sings to the empowering conveyance in his emcee like verses.
The production hits a spectacular sonic voyage as we are transmitted through elements that allow us to see into the artistic versatility that Jesse Valdez puts forward. With every reverberated effect we are diving deeper into the ambiance that tells a story solely through the music itself. The duo comes together providing an ultimate force that takes Alternative R&B to a different level.
DAN.G has us reflecting on the delicate ambiance they put forward. We are patiently awaiting the next release from this dynamic duo and hope that they truly never go.
Congratulations on the release of, “Never Go.” Could you please tell us how this collaboration came together in 2019?
Jesse saw a video I posted on a musicians community page on Facebook and asked me if I wanted to make my little jam into a song. We began the project by making indie rock songs in the vein of Coldplay but soon found inspiration in sample-based production that allowed us to dig into our influences. The first song we made was the single “Silhouette”. It brought together our love of soulful genres like jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, giving our slightly dreary indie sounds a much-needed boost.
We would love to know what the creative process for a track as wistful as, “Never Go,” looked like. What is it like working with one another?
“Never Go” began with a pitched-down sample supported by a simple drum beat. Jesse then worked his magic, arranging the song and sprinkling in some tasty riffs. I instantly felt inspired by the groove it created and began to find some fun cadences and melodies to sing. Jesse noticed that I was relying too heavily on fast cadences and encouraged me to do a stretched out singing part for the chorus. It was a quick process getting the raw idea down, and after that, it was fine-tuned by Jesse and eventually our mixing engineer.
What do the smooth and passionate vibes of, “Never Go,” mean to both of you as individuals and together as a duo?
The vibe that we create gives us a feeling of empowerment and peace. We feel a sense of freedom in the sound we are creating. It mesmerizes us as we write, giving us inspiration in unexpected places.
How have you established your sound and is this the ambiance that we can expect from DAN.G moving forward?
That’s certainly going to be something we discover together. We didn’t create this sound with any specific intentions, and I believe that experimental nature will always play a significant role in the end product. The thing that should be expected is a re-interpretation of a vibe that lives inside of one of our influences.
What has been keeping you inspired this year?
We’ve decided that even with the world in such a difficult place, our art is still very important to us. We began hanging out a lot less, but every time we did we’d do something productive related to DAN.G. A focus on a visual concept emerged, and the idea for a music video came up. Jesse and our friend Matthew Fitzpatrick found a beautiful church outside of Portland, which eventually became the set for the “Never Go” video. We’ve both had time to reflect and discover what’s important to us, giving us a renewed sense of inspiration for the project. Expect to hear and see more things from us in the near future, we’ve got many exciting things moving down the pipeline and hope to see you all along the way.