ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT
MONDANO
OUT NOW
ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS
ALSO AVAILABLE ON CD
ARTIST NAME: DKANDLE
RELEASE: MONDANO (ALBUM) - SEP. 23, 22
GENRES: SHOEGAZE, DIRTGAZE, GRUNGEGAZE, POST-PUNK
LOCATION: FLORENCE, ITALY
HOMETOWN: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
BIO
Denis Kandle started out in 1994 as the vocalist of the band Pregnant Felix in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, together with guitarist Marcelo Vasco (currently in Troops Of Doom), bassist Fabio Pires (currently in Helga) and drummer Duda.
In 1998, his band N.O.P.E opened for the New Yorker band Shelter at Imperator, Rio. Later Kandle produced Projeto Bandas (1999-2000), a weekly event held at Café das Artes in Botafogo, Rio, which hosted concerts by hundreds of bands from Rio and other states.
In January 14, 2001, Kandle deejayed at the Eletro Tent of Rock In Rio III Festival, at the same night as Ferry Corsten, Oasis and Guns N' Roses. He then became the resident DJ of Electrolounge at Bunker 94, Rio (2005-2006).
After forming two personal electronic music projects (Colortronic and Aliencore) and graduating in Philosophy from IFCS (Rio) with the monograph Music and Existentiality, in 2020 Kandle began writing and recording music for DKANDLE (Tuscany, Italy), a cross between shoegaze, grunge and post-punk.
Three singles by DKANDLE have been released so far: the first single Flame was released on May 13, 2022. It was included on the compilation Aspirin Age: Volume Two (A Shoegaze Compilation) by Broken Sound Tapes (Hillsborough, NC, USA). The second single Stampa Clandestina was released on July 29, 2022, and the third single Dissociation came to life on November 25, 2022.
The three tracks are part of the album Mondano, which was released digitally and on CD on September 23, 2022. The album has 9 tracks and was mastered by Kenneth Estrada (Berlin Shoegazer) using a Tascam cassette recorder, which renders the sound warmer and more organic.
Kenneth Estrada
(Berlin Shoegazer)
“Such a great record! I was honoured to master these songs on cassette tape for Denis, who did an amazing job here.”
Marcelo Vasco
(Troops of Doom)
"I really enjoyed the album. It has a lot of atmospheric sound, so to speak, with a hint of industrial at times. It reminds me of some Radiohead stuff, the more B-sides... Anyways… Awesome!!!”
Juan Bascur
(ni))) naturaleza insaciable)
“The lessons from My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride and Flying Saucer Attack were very well assimilated by DKANDLE. The old flame of atmospheric rock has in his hands another chance to hook the curious public of these times".
ALBUM AND TRACKS DESCRIPTION
The concept of the album MONDANO refers to worldliness (mondano = worldly). Dusk and full moon invite us to leave home and do worldly things, that is, to have fun without religious guilt. MONDANO is a tribute to worldliness, in contrast to every attempt of religion and society's moralism to condemn the worldly lifestyle.
1+1=1
1+1=1 is an oriental concept that states that “there is nothing to be added” to the universe. This concept also states that 1-1=1, or that “there is nothing to be subtracted”. Musically, it is greatly inspired by the Ohm Mantra sound.
DISSOCIATION
The lyrics are about leaving toxic environments. You left, and now you celebrate and welcome your freshly acquired freedom. Musically, the intention was to balance linear Apollonian riff with chaotic Dionysian solo.
STAMPA CLANDESTINA
This song is about escaping from dogmas. Among other things, I imagine what would be like a Vatican Gay Parade. The Church would have to advance a lot in order to have the guts to make it. Will it ever happen?… I don't know. Musically, I used a pedal with a bend chorus effect on the guitar, which is characteristic of shoegaze. A curiosity about this track is that the last part of the song is a sample of a sound captured on Mars.
FLAME
This is first shoegaze song I ever wrote. It was originally written as a remix for Wry, but they were looking for an electronic remix, so I took the musical arrangement and rewrote the vocal lines over it. The lyrics are about the search of pleasure, which is condemned by religions with the “flame” of hell. We are all going to the hell of the other religion, so let's just embrace the flame and enjoy its warmth (it seems inevitable, anyway)…
KEEP SMILING
This track was originally written for my teenager band Pregnant Felix, but it was never finished then, so when I started playing as DKANDLE, I recovered it and finally completed it. I think it has a great balance between shoegaze and grunge. The lyrics are about not giving up doing what you like, even if sometimes you need to unwind. If you are not harming anybody else or any property... do as you please and keep smiling.
FLUIDS EXCHANGE
The intention was to write a shoegaze song with offensive lyrics, because I read someone saying that shoegaze artists seem to be afraid of offending someone. It is an ode to secular personal freedom, which actually sounds pretty offensive for so many people. Musically, I wanted the guitar to sound super crunchy. I think the bass line stands out in this one.
TRANS-SPIRITED
It was originally written in 1998 and I used to play it with my former band N.O.P.E, but it was never released commercially back then. I re-wrote it adding more layers of sonic effects, so now it sounds more grungegazy. Trans-Spirited summons Apollo and Dionysus to celebrate spirituality through worldliness.
SUNBURST
It was the latest song to be written for the album. It was winter of 2022. It has a darker mood, maybe influenced by the notion that my dog was in her last days. The lyrics try to bring some light to those who decided to “die to the world” and go live an ascetic style of life, wasting their precious time out of the world.
ESCAPIST COMFORT
Even though this is the merriest song of the album, I was feeling really miserable when it was written. I had just lost a friend to a reclusive religious cult and it made me feel really down. So I decided to pick up my guitar and write something to uplift me.
