Daniel Seavey Looks For the Light While 'Dancing In The Dark'
Photo: Brandon Phillips
Daniel Seavey has finally come through on his promise of new music, and it was well worth the wait. The former Why Don't We member surprise-released his debut EP, Dancing in the Dark, featuring seven songs, most of which he self-wrote and produced, that explore themes of love, toxicity, and escapism wrapped in glowing production that amplifies the artist's growing independence and search for peace within a chaotic environment.
In a letter he posted to social media shortly after the EP dropped, Seavey addressed the legal battle with Why Don't We's former management company. "Earlier this year, I took some big legal risks to attempt to free myself from my managers (the same ones that I believe broke up my band). I simply wanted to leave the past behind and continue forward with a solo career," wrote the singer. "Every day for the last 6 months has been a battle. All I want is to be a light for others and make music."
He added that despite the obstacles, his "faith and hope" in himself helped him get to where he is today. "BECAUSE I'M FINALLY FREE AND WILL NEVER BE STOPPED AGAIN!!! And to David Loeffler and Steve Miller directly, as Judge Barash said himself: You Don't Own Me."
Dancing in the Dark opens with the romantic "Fall Into You." Framed with warm vocals and acoustic guitar lines, listeners follow Seavey as he falls for his starry-eyed lover, who "held him in the dark" so that one day he could them in the light. The record then transitions into the airy "Give It A Week." With dance-inducing production and echoing vocal fills, Seavey wrestles with the restlessness and complicated emotions he feels, knowing he's getting used by someone who doesn't feel the same way he does. He continues wrestling with the push and pull of his emotions on the guitar-driven "Nothing Compares To You," where he admits that despite his reservations, he would still rather risk it all for the person he cares for.
The record then flows seamlessly through the previously released pop-rock fusion "Can We Pretend That We're Good?" and the reflective "I Tried," both of which continue to showcase Seavey's poignant songwriting style and passion for his craft as he dips his toes into vastly different waters. "Leave Me Alone" sees him fuse his introspective lyrics with more electric sonic textures. "I kicked you out my place, but you ain't left / No, you're still livin' in my head, leave me alone," he croons over moody layers of synth and gloomy guitar riffs, oozing with emotion and wincing rage aimed at the person who betrayed him.
The EP's finale, "Runaway," sees Seavey express his desire to escape with a special someone away from a turbulent environment. Backed by dancing piano lines, sleek beats, and percussion, he sings sincere lines like, "I've been dancin' in the dark, and you've been dancin' in the light" and "And I wish I could've kept you, but the world got in the way." As the closing track builds into its final chorus, layers of warped vocals and effects collide into a chaotic cloud of sound, mirroring the tumultuous conditions Seavey has found himself stuck in before regressing back to the sole piano line that serves as the final light in a sea of auditory darkness.
Seavey embarked on his debut tour, 'Introducing Daniel Seavey,' earlier this year, where he played "Fall Into You" and "Leave Me Alone" for the first time. Opening up about the band's hiatus, he shared. "When the band broke up, I could have let it turn me into a vegetable, and it would've actually been easier. But I did not waste a minute. I started working [on music], and for the first time, I decided to do it. It wasn't someone telling me to do it. I wanted to do it."
Listen to Dancing in the Dark below:
