Eccentricity is a valuable thing to have nowadays. In the music world, it can leave an impression; whether it be stark, memorable or shocking, being out-of-the-box leaves a mark. In pop music, we have artists who go too far visually and do not let the music speak; but then we have someone like Dan Black, who balances forward-thinking with pop sensibility. On his debut album ((UN)), Black surrounds listeners with tracks that maintain a blend of fun, intuitive and catchy pop melodies. He’s caught the attention of artists in different worlds (Hot City to Kid Cudi) and inspires everyone to just dance. Before he embarked on his U.S. tour, Black took a bit of time to speak to us about his origins, his influences and his jet-lag.
URB: What are the main differences of your work with you former band, The Servant, and your solo work?
DAN BLACK: Truthfully, when we started The Servant, it was all about just getting music out there as fast as we could. Once we finally started working on stuff, though, my ideas became too left-field for the band. After a while, I just started to focusing on my own stuff, which was not going to work for the band, so I left and went on my own crazy adventure.
URB: So how did you come about making these current tunes?
DB: It was a process of being in my apartment and figuring it out. It didn’t come in a day, that’s for sure. There were questions of “Will this be listenable?” [and] “Am I really going to finish this?” but in the end I had to pursue what I wanted, which was putting all these sounds together to make these tunes.
URB: There’s lots of love poured into the record, it does take a personal tone at times. Was that intentional?
DB: Considering I recorded in my bedroom, pretty much. I did want a personal experience for the listener, whether that be dancing or just head-bopping or foot-tapping. I also wanted to strike a balance of fun with that, so I hope people got that from listening to my music.
URB: Who were some influences in crafting you sound?
DB: Sigur Ros, J Dilla, Jay-Z, The Cure just to name a few.
URB: What can people expect from Dan Black in the future?
DB: I will continue to be touring, trying to avoid jet-lag–it is a killer, so sleep as much as you can–making more music and hopefully making people smile and dance simultaneously.
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