Boston and San Francisco are kindred spirits. Both deal with moody, overcast and unpredictable weather; we endure successful sports teams that dominate the local conversation (for better or worse); and exist around an increasingly suffocating and influential tech landscape. And both share a pretty strong dislike towards their more popular and populous big city neighbor to the south.
It’s this combination of things — weather to set a mood, sports to cast a distraction among the disinterested, and the weird mix of optimism for and distrust of the tech boom that allow for unique musical creativity. Today, we look out far beyond the flyover states and connect with San Francisco dark-pop quartet Dangermaker, whose urgent, genre-twisting EP Light the Dark II is out this week via Breakup Records.
The three-track EP is a welcomed, refreshing take on pop-minded rock and roll, with the modern quirks and frequencies one would expect from a Bay Area band. The first track, “Disappear,” plays with loud, commanding riffs that effectuate moments of arena rock tucked neat inside a nightclub’s strobe light, and sets the tone for the juxtaposition of sounds and emotions throughout. “In Vain” squeals and shrugs along for a synth-rock road trip, and “Never Go Back” should bang down the door of the ever-so-stale FM radio searching for the next Killers.
Light the Dark II also emits a sound and emotion of autumn; the recordings offer solace to the seasonal change. As the leaves slowly begin to gather at your feet, something starts to feel almost missing. Dangermaker’s lyrics aid those lonely city dwellers, while saying goodbye to a fond, fond summer.
It’s a record in transit, a record at beautiful odds with itself on the surface, but at its core a genuine bout of song craft and ambition. Listen to Light the Dark II below via the Dangermaker Bandcamp page, and join the band’s official record release party September 24 at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. More details below…
