Singer-songwriter Danielle Parente may have just released her sophomore full-length album, but the Brooklyn native is still very much getting her name out there. With Dark Eyes, however, it’s apparent that she’s going places.
The album opens with the title track, and while “Dark Eyes” isn’t among the record’s highlights, it’s certainly a solid song, and the trap-like beat is a great way to set the pace for the album. From there, however, the dancey “Wicked Game” really takes Parente’s sound to the next level. The momentum holds steady with “Very Last Breath (5 Minute Stares),” thanks in part to a hypnotizing hand-clapping backbeat. The brightness of “Make It Rain” complements the atomic drum cadence beneath it quite well. “Whirlwind,” “We Spin Round,” and “Over and Over” all seem to parallel one another, but nothing really stands out about any of them.
“Paint Me Black” starts out slow, before eventually gaining momentum, all the while maintaining the chilling atmosphere. The song’s dynamics and gradual build help solidify it as the highlight from the record. “Make Me Weak” adds guitars into the mix, helping give it a more rocking vibe, while an ethereal layering under “Walk Alone” holds it together. In some ways “Set Myself Free” is similar to the latter, but it lacks much of the oomph from its immediate predecessor. “Everest” is the relatively calm album closer that does a nice job of tying up the loose ends.
Dark Eyes is a solid effort from an intriguing up and coming artist. Danielle Parente blends the ambient with the soulful and the trippy with the sensuous, all rather effortlessly. The record definitely has its fair share of weaknesses, but as a whole it’s an enjoyable listen. Thanks to her latest, there’s no doubt in my mind that this New York-based singer-songwriter will continue to find her way into the speakers and headphones of eager listeners.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk1BTWLa7q8[/youtube]
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