Gimme What You Got (Pull The Trigger) / Go On Get It / Children Caned Unable / Say Hello / Chelsea's Teardrops / Hardtimes On The Way / Candy On My List / Information / Million Holes / Get My Love / Strange Child / What's Your Name? / Tears To Sip On

PIECES OF EIGHT RECORDS

Sounding much like you'd imagine the results of LCD Soundsystem  and Soft Cell being locked in a dark basement and forced to write a bunch of spiky pop songs, London and New York based duo Black Daniel are the latest act to blend sharp synth riffs with frenetic drum patterns, p-funk guitar stabs and huge pop choruses on their debut album, BLACK DANIEL.

Sounding like a more urgent and hungry version of The Bravery, opening track GIMME WHAT YOU GOT (PULL THE TRIGGER) throbs away like the dancefloor-owning monster-tune its destined to become; the sound of Soft Cell abusing Duran Duran at a sleazy electro strip club. As the thrusting bass line kicks in and frenetic synth riffs dance erratically around pulsating drum beats, GIMME WHAT YOU GOT (PULL THE TRIGGER)  instantly announces itself as an anthemic song to believe in.  The sleazy electro pop of GO ON GET IT merges early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with Depeche Mode, distorted guitar riffs brushing up against insistent bass throbs and dirty vocal shudders.

CHILDREN CANED UNABLE finds Black Daniel entering the same sonic territory as Primal Scream did around their Xtrmntr and Evil Heat era records; Neu! influenced electro pop that throbs and thrusts under the weight of its own sleazy sounding strip joint electroid blues.  The prettier sounding SAY HELLO finds Black Daniel playing with twee indie pop conventions and sweet pure pop ideas, though that distorted New York vocal twang of Craig Louis Higgins Jr; part Thurston Moore, part Lou Reed ensures that a certain beat poetry darkness still infiltrates matters.

CHELSEA'S TEARDROPS is another sweatily thrusting slice of leering electro rock whilst with CANDY ON MY LIST and HARDTIMES ON THE WAY, Black Daniel prove that their list of influences is truly diverse and far reaching; echoes of Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, Can, Sonic Youth, The Rolling Stones and Devo just a few that spring to mind.  The twisted synth riffs and insistent beats of GET MY LOVE keep the twists and turns coming whilst the swooning pop of STRANGE CHILD prove that amidst all the dark turns and sleaze, Black Daniel also have the power to inject tear stained emotion into their musical midst.

An album that constantly shifts perceptions and moods, BLACK DANIEL is a masterful piece of work that manages to impress, surprise and delight with each and every moment.

BIOGRAPHY

Stumbling out of the underground club scenes of London and NYC, Black Daniel is made up of two musician/djs (brothers L + L May) and Craig Louis Higgins Jr, a New York club promoter and part time philanthropist turned mouthpiece. After a colorful and sometimes painful period of trans Atlantic party swapping and night time explorations, Black Daniel was spawned and has been growing and multiplying ever since...

Brothers L+L may, born and raised in London, 1st emerged as dj/producers on the UK club scene as duo medicine8. Since the release of their critically acclaimed and influential debut album Iron Stylings (Regal/Parlophone) they have traveled the world djing everywhere from Buenos Aires, to Moscow, to Tokyo. But perhaps most significantly, as far as Black Daniel is concerned, New York Here, as guests at many of Craig's hedonistic club nights, the bond was formed…

Craig Louis Higgins jr was born in Massachusetts but moved to NYC when he landed a job at the legendary New York house label strictly rhythm. He quickly began to make a name for himself all over town with his con-fu-sion nights held at various venues including Centro fly, and meat packing district clubs, baktun and filter 14. It was at filter 14 though (former home of infamous drag queen party Jackie 60) where things really clicked, pioneering the acid house revival way ahead of time with medicine8 and the godfather of acid himself Mr. dj Pierre.

After many visits and road trips, including a tour of the states where Craig came along as tour manager and general good vibe provider and numerous infamous con-fu-sion parties together at the Miami winter music conference. L+L knew they had to get Mr. Higgins over to London and into the studio to capture his unique way with words and quirky view of life in general. These sessions were originally meant to be the basis of the 2nd medicine 8 album however all involved soon realized that they had stumbled on something completely new and far more exciting. Hence, Black Daniel was born.

After a rush of creativity and frenzied studio sessions their 1st album has now been completed…

LINE UP

L.D. MAY

L.E. MAY

Craig Louis Higgins Jr

DISCOGRAPHY

BLACK DANIEL (Pieces Of Eight Records>2007)

Gimme What You Got (Pull The Trigger)

Go On Get It

Children Caned Unable

Say Hello

Chelsea's Teardrops

Hardtimes On The Way

Candy On My List

Information

Million Holes

Get My Love

Strange Child

What's Your Name?

Tears To Sip On

LINKS

Black Daniel>www.blackdaniel.com

FURTHER LISTENING

Black Strobe

Can

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club