Dirk Da Davo, one half of the seminal band The Neon Judgement, is back with a new album entitled HappyGrey, that has been recorded with Mexican guitar player Sanchez. We already told you about them when they released their second EP, entitled STrAnGe, which was the follow-up to Z, released in 2019. Since that album, on which we could find a cover of The Doors, they have released a couple of singles that we can also find on this HappyGrey. It has been published digitally by DanceDelic-D and in it Da Davo follows a path thathe already started when he was in the band that composed “The Fashion Party” in which electronic and dark music mixes with tex-mex. While Davo takes care of the electronics, Sanchez adds bass and slide.
The sunlight and the state of the vampires, electronics and the more traditional guitar music, the happy and the grey are opposites that we find in this album, right from the first track, and it is in this duality that the album moves best. So is the opening “Vampire State”, a cheerful and lively track where we already find the mix between electro and Tex-Mex that will musically characterise the album. The fantastic slide work is worth mentioning. This track, together with the second one, would form the first “Happy” side of the album, which soon takes on darker tones. The electronic side is more prominent in “One Thing”, a quite catchy and more accelerated track. As its name warns us, the darkest part arrives with “Man in the Dark”, one of the best compositions on the album, disturbing and with a fantastistic and deep atmosphere. We continue going into the darkness with “She Prays” with some whistles that remind us of the best westerns, it is also a good theme with an original interpretation of Da Davo in the choirs. We continue in the grey side with “Cities in Dust”, with nice choruses and good bass and, above all, a great ambience. “What Comes Around” seems to evoke desolate and ghostly deserts in the beginning, but then it’s a more upbeat and catchy track. “Whirl” is another desert-flavoured track, with a powerful electronic part and a slightly psychedelic sound. The album continues in the same vein with “Push it Up , Pull it out”, a danceable track with an interesting electronic work. Da Davo seems to be having a good time while singing. “Just fun”, is an original half-instrumental track with strong percussion and a cinematic feel. HappyGrey come to an end with “Waiting”, again a danceable track although Da Davo’s voice full of effects sounds darker and scarier.
On HappyGrey we get the impression that both Dirk Da Davo and Sanchez have had a great time and it’s that spirit, along with catchy melodies and music that in its apparent simplicity never fails to surprise, that keeps you coming back to play the album again and again.
