One year after their establishment in their current formation, indie pop-rock band Dakota released their debut EP ‘So Far So Great’ and are now working towards their new album ‘Fire in the Bunker’ with the release of their most recent single ‘Nobody Wants To Sing’
The right ‘vibe’ is central to Dakota’s philosophy when it comes to composing and arranging their original songs, as they have so far undisputedly proven with wisdvom well beyond their teenage years, especially in the track ‘Natalie’ that opens with the nihilist line “She thinks she knows everything but she is locked in a bubble.” They work under the motivational motto ‘if it sounds good, it must be good’, and they allow their gut guide them over the voice of reason, that more often than not turns out to be a buzz-kill. Against all pigeonholing, Jonathan also plugs the pitch “We are indefinable. We are Dakota.”Music is a lifestyle for them, not just a hobby, and they are confident that the band will never disband indefinitely, no matter how far apart their academic careers will drive them: there always be time for a band reunion during the holidays and time for on-line rehearsing and composing. “Hiatuses are actually a positive thing for any committed band because playing someplace else with other bands can enrich and round up your style and outlook on performing, so that you are able to bring back new ideas to your old band.” A new input to the ‘sonic palette’, they label it.
But the secret to any band’s resilience is, in their opinion, friendship: a personal bond between all members and the excitement of jamming together is the true glue of any successful ensemble, regarded not just as any business venture, but as a real family – a four-way bromance.
Vocalist and lyricist Robin Panter explains how the creative process comes upon him: “I write the chord sequence and the melody, then the lyrics fall into place, just like a poem, rather than elaborating on a specific topic, so that they can be open to interpretation: my songs don’t tell a story, but set a mood, a vibe.” “Our songs portray a positive message and our music is jolly,” Jonathan adds, “but there is room for emotional ambiguity, with transitions and comparisons between riffs, as you can hear in ‘Natalie’, our most emotive and complex track.”
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