A lot of new indie projects talk and refer Thom York, Bjork or Damon Albarn as references for their sound. But very few can actually replicate part of that into their sonority. Dontmesswithjuan is one of those exceptions.
This is the solo project of Stéphanie Essiambre a singer, songwriter and producer from Montreal, that actually lives in Medellín. That combination of so distinct cultures and backgrounds makes itself notice in Dontmesswithjuan tracks. With punches of melancholy and dark vibes, she fuses electronic with enchanting vocals and unexpected lines of dark pop. Daily Grind, her latest advance (that comes out tomorrow) is a dark diamond. Catchy around the edges – the chorus “My Daily Grind” is the perfect example of that – it sounds as relevant as any Billie Eilish track but keeps the indie vibe very present and intense. Hugely cinematic, also ambient and capable of giving the listener space to breathe between the chorus and melodies, we might want to entitle it as a modern masterpiece. And as we were among the first blogs to write about Billie, we would adore nothing else than equal success to Juan.
Daily Grind is the first song of her debut EP Juan & The Happiness Algorithm. An EP where Juan portrays a fictional character that will go on a brief and eternal cycle to find happiness through 7 levels, expressed in 7 songs.
More on Dontmesswithjuan:
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