Watching the evolution of a band is always so exciting and the evolution of daste. is nothing less than incredible. The trio released their debut album back in 2021 and now, they’ve curated a brand new album that draws you into their uniquely ethereal world, so it’s only fitting that they’ve named the album ‘dasteWORLD’.
daste. have become known for their smooth and sultry rhythms that blend R’n’B elements with soft electronica, and light jazz. ‘dasteWORLD’, definitely has a good serving of the daste. sound you’ve come to love, but you also get to experience an elevation of that sound, the result of which is both kaleidoscopic and ethereal.
We take our first steps into ‘dasteWORLD’ with ‘River’, and the piano tones that open this track are so magical and flow just like a shimmering waterfall. The steady beat keeps everything grounded as whirring atmospherics float between every note, and the vocals swim through the gorgeous melody. The smooth bassline gives the track momentum, sliding alongside the vocals, and the harmonies feel so uplifting, that you can’t help but smile the entire time you’re listening. ‘River’ is such a delicate track, but it also has a cool freshness to it, making it really just hit that part of your brain that makes you feel calm and completely at ease.
While ‘River’ is light and delicate, the second track on the album ‘Around’ is slightly tougher, but still incredibly easy to listen to. The soulful horns melt over the solid beat and the vocals add a bit of bite, making the texture of the melody almost sound like salted caramel in a way – there’s a lightness to it, but it also feels thick, rich, and smooth as hell. The bassline curls around the beat, while twangy guitars add a bit of zest to the production and swinging synths propel the melody back and forth, urging you to do the same. ‘Around’ is quite grounding, and the way it moves is so fun that it quickly becomes quite addictive to listen to.
Then we have ‘Colours’. So far, we’ve gone from delicate to decadent, and now we’re going to downright infectious. Sharp percussion opens the track before bouncing synths come in and introduce pulsating piano tones, and some soft vocal harmonies. ‘Colours’ is a perky track but still has that signature suaveness that daste. have become known for, thanks to textured guitars and super subtle atmospherics. Then there’s the saxophone, injecting a jazz-like vibe into the melody and bringing the track to an extremely satisfying end. ‘Colours’ is the track you play on a sunny day when you’re feeling too great for words, and so you just have to play this instead to express how goddamn good you’re feeling,
The first word that comes to mind when you start listening to the next track on ‘dasteWORLD’, ‘New Light’, is funk. Echoing vocals dance alongside hollow synths that swirl around warped guitars, and the bass leads the entire melody along, fully taking charge and providing such a sophisticated energy. ‘New Light’ has a real groove to it and the way the vocals echo over the melody; make it feel ever so slightly psychedelic too. Colourful tones pop across the melody and percussion, slicing through the groove and when twinkling chimes come in towards the end, you quickly realise you’ve been taken on a journey, going from deep funk to then ascending into a lovely, sweet soundscape.
Now, ‘Atlas’ also has a great groove, which this time is provided by airy synths, ticking percussion, heavy samples that dip in and out of warm atmospherics, and low chorus vocals that juxtapose lighter verses. The way this melody moves is incredible. It dips and drops so seamlessly between the brighter production into an almost guttural groove that you can feel flowing through your brain and body. ‘Atlas’ is an absolute bop, it may not be as heavy as you think a bop should be, but it’s a great bop nonetheless, and one you’ll never get tired of.
‘Wayside’, the next track on the album, has a darker tone to it. If it was a colour, it would be navy blue, not a sad colour, but a more serious one. This is the song you listen to late at night, when there’s only one warm lamp light on, and you’re just trying to make sense of what’s happening life-wise. Crunching samples wrap ghostly vocal samples, lightly cracking percussion, soft guitar licks, and dark atmospherics, into a very dreamy package. The deep synths and tones keep things cool, as the vocals float above the production, providing a bit of buoyancy to the whole affair, and a bit of lightness within this dimmer track. ‘Wayside’ hits you harder than you’d expect it to and will make you feel a lot of things. Consider it the gentlest therapy session you’ll ever experience, because it’ll bring some emotions to the surface, and you’ll get to feel a real moment of catharsis as you let it all go.
Opening with pulsating synths, hollow percussion, and a bopping bass, ‘Starwriter’ feels like a spacious track, with a handful of elements popping throughout the production, and humming atmospherics working with the bass, and vocals, to create a soft throughline and solid foundation. Instead of seamlessly flowing, ‘Starwriter’ delicately crackles and pops in a very smooth way. Although the percussion and synths lead the charge, ‘Starwriter’ is still a silky track, it just also has a great bounce to it that gives it a little something extra to make it even more enthralling.
With the bass, echoing guitar licks, and shimmering synths dancing together atop cooling atmospherics and sweet saxophone hums, ‘Tide’ has a jazzy nature to it, allowing the soft groove to organically evolve as each new note appears. ‘Tide’ is actually a pretty fitting name for this track because the synths ebb and flow like ocean water sliding up and down the beach, creating a gorgeous and almost ethereal atmosphere. The bass and percussion work together so well and keep the airer parts of the production moving forward, so there’s still a sense of propulsion within the track, without it feeling forceful.
When ‘Chasing’ first starts, you think you’re in for a slower, more down-tempo, and relaxed vibe than what you’d experienced on ‘dasteWORLD’ so far. Then, you’re suddenly surprised by quick vocals that slice through the melody like a pinball flying across a pinball machine, and you feel like you’ve just received a fresh jolt of energy. Although the beat hits hard and the pace is steady, the perkiness of the chorus really adds an exciting new layer to the rack. A change like that just really keeps you invested, and completely hooked on the sharp drums, mellow bass line, twinkling synths, echoing vocals, and misty atmospherics.
Zesty is probably the best word to describe the next track, ‘Grapevine’, and that’s mostly because of the vibrant synths that slice through the soft guitar licks, warm atmospherics, delicate percussion, and suave bass line daste. have become known for. Those synths really add a lovely spritz to the melody and when crunchy guitars join the party, you start to realise you’re heading into brand new territory that daste. have never really explored much on their usually laid-back tracks. Then, as digitised samples that also sound kind of like a muted theremin are introduced, you know this isn’t your average daste. track. This is something completely new and chock full of experimental production that just works so incredibly well.
The texture of ‘Grapevine’ is impeccable, and after a momentary dip, you’re shot off into a kaleidoscope of synths, curvy bass lines, snappy percussion, and buzzing samples. It’s so fun and so new for daste., and yet the sound suits them so damn well.
After the almost bombastic burst that is ‘Grapevine’, we slow right back down for ‘Want To Know’. Airy guitars float behind soft vocals with moody atmospherics, and as the synths begin to trickle in like raindrops, the guitars and extremely subtle bass begin to swing together as the vocals get deeper. Then, a warm burst of synths covers the melody in vibrant light, and magical chimes are sprinkled across the rack, making it feel dreamy and sweet, as the deeper vocal samples contrast the airy harmonies. There’s such a nice juxtaposition here, with lighter vocals brightening the moodier melody, and the deeper vocals grounding the more ethereal elements.
Then, closing the album, we have ‘Fine Line’. The vibrant tones at the beginning of the track shine right through textured vocals, and you know almost instantly that the album is ending on a high. Rounded samples slowly bubble up into the melody and when those punchy drums kick in with the soft bass and colourful synths that dance above everything, the track becomes so fun and uplifting. A song doesn’t have to be super high energy to be uplifting and fill you with joy, it can still be controlled and if anyone has mastered this, it’s daste. Soon, we have more gorgeous saxophone tones adding a soulful energy into ‘Fine Line’ and everything just comes together in the most amazing way.
What’s so wonderful about ‘dasteWORLD’ is that you’re taken on a journey through not just an incredible collection of songs, but also through the band’s songwriting techniques and how that’s evolved over time. The album starts off with the trio’s signature sound, before slowly building into the more experimental and electronic-heavy tracks that are full of texture and rounded soundscapes. daste. are always refining their artistry and ‘dasteWORLD’ is the perfect example of how they’ve enhanced their skills and mastered the art of injecting magic into soulful melodies.