darkDARK Shares “Sequels” Featuring French Rapper Leonis
September 18, 2020 BY Nettwerk
Following the release of their 5-song EP We forget when we’re apart. (out now), darkDARK – the duo of Chris James and Genevieve Vincent – returns with “Sequels (feat. Leonis).” Featuring French rapper Leonis, the bass-heavy track intricately pulls together cloud rap, [Anchor] synth-pop, and “feline purrs and guttural growls” to create a transphonic production that cuts across genres.
“’Sequels’ started when we made this gritty instrumental track inspired by darkness and excess, but we couldn’t create the right top-line for it. It had a few iterations, but nothing was quite right,” explains darkDARK. “Then we got inspired by the music we were hearing while traveling in Paris and realized Leonis’ bold, dark sound would be perfect. Leonis wrote this incredible top-line about struggle and second chances. We added Genevieve’s vocals to the chorus as a counterpoint – a symbol of the false promises referred to lyrically. Lastly, we manipulated several large feline purrs and guttural growls to add a final layer of unexpected sound design that gives the track a bit of a third dimension.”
The secret to their synchronicity lies in their work practice too. With Genevieve in Los Angeles and Chris in Austin, they wrote and mixed projects for four years before even meeting. Also, they have a very expansive DropBox, where they organize their ideas. That journey is a big part of the alchemy driving darkDARK. One of them starts a track, and they pass it back and forth sometimes more than a dozen times, adding and subtracting elements until it hits an aural sweet spot. Then, mixer Andrew Maury (Shawn Mendes, Lizzo, Post Malone) came in at the end to put some final touches on the tracks.
About darkDARK:
Genevieve Vincent (co-songwriter, co-producer, and main vocalist) is a classically trained composer/producer and former music supervisor who has scored films (The Broken Hearts Gallery, Moving Art, Now Is The Time) and written orchestral concert music. Meanwhile, Chris James (co-songwriter, co-producer, and additional vocalist) is a go-to composer, mixer, and sound designer who’s worked on spots for Nike, VICE, Google, Levi’s, Coca-Cola, NBA, Uber, Subaru, American Express, Audi and more. With the duo’s debut EP Heathered, outlets like NOISEY and NPR’s All Songs Considered were quick to compliment. Since then, darkDARK’s music has made its way onto Empire, Power, and The Hate U Give. “I’m a broad-stroke kind of person with a lot of ideas, and I tend to lean into minimalism when it comes to production, “says Genevieve. Conversely, when it comes to production, Chris is a self-described “maximalist” who is extremely attentive to detail.
“infectious…leaves listeners wishing for more” – NPR Music
“darkDARK have managed to harken all sorts of phases in electronic music’s history in a way that feels wholly original and forward-thinking” – Consequence Of Sound
“grandiose, cinematic and utterly futuristic” – Line Of Best Fit
“…whatever you do, don’t let go of the name darkDark” – The Revue
“Lyrically ‘Save It’ is quite simple, allowing the lush instrumentation to take the lead, falling into place as another instrument in the rich symphony that James and Vincent create together” – mxdwn
“On their latest EP, the duo tackle the rawness of existence in such an uncertain era, while speaking to the intense emotions that something like a global pandemic can collectively inspire”
– Exclaim!
