Now that the year is almost over, let's recap how 2023 was for DKANDLE?
Well, what can we say? It was a great year! In January, DKANDLE's third single 'Dissociation', from the debut album 'Mondano', was reviewed by HEATWAVE! Blog, from Brazil (“The track unites noisy guitars and ethereal vocals with heavy, bassy sounds, and a great result came out”), and received air play on the Velvet Hum Radio Show at DKFM Radio (Los Angeles, USA).
In February, the track '1+1=1', also from 'Mondano', was broadcast on The Comfy Show by DJ Dental Drill on Woking Radio (London, UK). Furthermore, an interview by Denis Kandle with Joshua Smotherman was published on the IMD - Indie Music Discovery website, and the Mexican music blog Rue X Magazine published a review of 'Dissociation' (“DKANDLE is a very good combination of shoegaze and grunge, ideal for fans of 90's and early 00's alternative rock”).
The months from March to June were dedicated to producing, recording, and mixing the second album in Denis' home studio in Tuscany. The promotional single 'Hanging Out In Stars' was released on July 14th, together with its music video. It received some great reviews, such as from the Mexican blog La Caverna (“Enjoy it with its incredible guitars and dreamy rhythms”) and the Chilean blog Naturaleza Insaciable (“'Hanging Out In Stars' is a 5-minute track that insists on atmospheric guitar noise, with a soulful beauty”).
We were especially happy with the lovely review of the 'Hanging Out In Stars' by Catherine Gillette for WL//WH (“DKANDLE weaves swirling multi-colored vibrant unearthly soundscapes, blending fuzzy and reverberating Shoegaze textures, mesmerizing Dream Pop meditations, sludgy Grungey tones and moody Post-punk strains, heightened with soul-stirring lyricism and pensive emotive vocalizations”). It was also very nice to see that 'Hanging Out In Stars' was featured on RGM's Top 5 Singles of the Week (“The song certainly shows the promise of DKANDLE in creating a thick and interesting sound”), and that a tribute to the single was published by the Greek blog Last Day Deaf (“DKANDLE paints a poetic landscape of feelings, inviting all to traverse the cosmic expanse of their musical universe”).
And it was really, really awesome to have 'Hanging Out In Stars' premiered on DKFM Radio on July 5th. The song was also broadcast on the prestigious show When The Sun Hits by DJ Amber Crain on October 25th. And our track 'Amber Sun' also premiered on DKFM Radio, on the renowned The Shoegaze Collective show by DJ Paul Lopez, on September 19th. It was aired just a few days before the release of our second album, 'More Drag Queens Less Drama Queens', which has 9 tracks (+1 bonus track on Bandcamp) and was mastered by Kenneth Estrada (Berlin Shoegazer). About the album, Wilson Farina of the Brazilian blog HEATWAVE! wrote: “I have the impression that many people today try to record albums like this, calling themselves shoegaze or dreampop, but few have the artistry and intensity that DKANDLE demonstrates in their work. Their genuine involvement with the genre is clear, and this guarantees a more genuine and sincere artistic expression”.
'Hanging Out In Stars' also charted on Serbachart Top 50, from the Czech Republic, and it charted for several weeks on Bagel's Radio Top 30 Albums of the Week (Queens, NY, USA). We feel so flattered for being able to achieve this as an independent band.
By the way, DKANDLE became a band this year. It started as Denis Kandle's solo project in 2020, but now bassist Fernando Menezes has joined as a band member. We are also planning to add a drummer to the band.
And at last but not least, on December 8th, we released our latest single 'De La Shower', together with a music video. It has been playing on radio stations like Rocanrosaurio, from Mexico, and Radio Cult FM, from Brazil, who said about it:“The band makes an interesting rustic sound, but with modern touches. The guitarist stands out for his unique way of playing and the production of the work is very good”.
'De La Shower' has also been added to several playlists and it more than doubled our streaming count on Spotify, and we are so proud of all these organic and authentic streams. Thank you all for playing, saving, and sharing our music with your friends and everyone you think should know our music. We are nothing without you. You guys rock!
A big thanks goes out to Richard Gehring, DJ Heretic, Catherine Gillette, Wilson Farina and André Cult. Many, many thanks, guys! Your support is truly appreciated, and it means the world to us.
DKANDLE is set to play some gigs in 2024. Stay tuned for dates and locations.
And keep supporting independent artists! Remember: we are the ones we've been waiting for...
MANY THANKS:
Richard Gehring (DKFM Radio, Los Angeles, USA)
Paul Lopez (The Velvet Hum Radio Show, DKFM Radio)
Amber Crain (When The Sun Hits, DKFM Radio)
DJ Heretic (DKFM Radio)
Wilson Farina (HEATWAVE!, São Paulo, Brasil)
DJ Dental Drill (The Comfy Show, London, UK)
Joshua Smotherman (IMD - Indie Music Discovery, USA)
Rue X Magazine (Mexico)
La Caverna (Mexico)
Juan Bascur (naturaleza insaciable, Chile)
Catherine Gillette (WL//WH, USA/Italy)
RGM (Sheffield, UK)
Last Day Deaf (Greece)
Serbachart (Czech Republic)
Bagel Radio (NY, USA)
Rocanrosaurio Radio (Mexico)
André Cult (Rádio Cult FM, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)
Blackmarket (Deutschland)
Anita (Shoegrazzze Radio, Australia)
From The Strait (Canada)
indie30.com (Australia)
Pedro Damian (Shoegazer Alive, Brasil)
Kenneth Estrada (Berlin Shoegazer)
Janglepophub (South Africa)
Kris Gardner (Your First Listen, USA)
Eddie Asheton Gira o Mundo (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)