Volcano – Darius Christian (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

There is a wonderful air of sophistication to be found in Darius Christan’s music in general and certainly in his latest single, Volcano. And sophistication is something not often seen in today’s pop and mainstream music. But to merely label Christan as pop or mainstream is to do him a disservice, as it belies his music’s deft and delicately constructed nature.

Yes, there is easy accessibility and mass appeal to a song like Volcano, but once you start to unpick the sonic threads he uses to build it, which is, after all, the job of a reviewer, you realise just how well-wrought his music is. Again, words far too rarely applied to chart-friendly music, which Volcano certainly is.

Threads such as pop infectiousness, soulful seductions, hip-hop deftness, R&B groove, jazz creativity and no small amount of musical dynamics that enable him to push the song towards some splendid sonic highs and then swiftly and seamlessly switch to a sparser, more musically understated soundscape.

But then, Darius Christian is no newcomer to the task at hand. Not only a singer, songwriter, producer and trombone player, he has toured and worked with everyone from Gwen Stefani, Macklemore and The Jonas Brothers to Adele, Bastille, Ricky Martin and many more besides. Add to that appearances on every mainstream TV chat, comedy and magazine show that matters, and a true picture of his prowess emerges.

Smart and sophisticated music being made in the mainstream and chart-friendly realms? Now, this is a benchmark that really needs setting, and with Christian at the helm and Volcano setting the bar, that benchmark is going to really be something for other artists to aim for. Best of luck trying to follow that, people!