Dav!d&Clara do not simply write songs, they construct intriguing music with use of minimal synth sounds and lyrical imagery. What has always been fascinating about the two is their ability to layer fantastic storytelling and melodies over their sounds. They come up with melodies that get stuck in your head and demand re-listening. This is quite a feat, given both the subject matter and the manner in which they choose to layer sounds. Each and every new release by Dav!d&Clara, is yet another example of the duo pushing the envelope that much further. After all these years – I’ve been listening to Dav!d&Clara since 2014 – and a back catalog of brilliant material, this duo have never taken the easy way. They continue to produce their incredible material and continue to grow.
Just in case you’re wondering, ‘they’ refers to singer-songwriter David, and his computer, Clara – an electronic music duo from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dav!d&Clara’s songs forge a blend of alternative, pop, rock and industrial sounds.
Lyrically their songs are usually embedded in a web of passion, weaved with emotional pain or pleasure, and thoroughly drenched in all things tantalizingly carnal. The new single, “Ain’t No Such Thing” sticks close to the template, and is both adventurous and hugely pleasing at the same time.
“Ain’t no such thing as an ass too fat, a car too fast, I like it like that. As too much cash, too much bang and flash, I like it like it, like that. Ain’t no such thing, as hips too thick, too stylin’ on the Vegas strip, I’m shook, lookin’ looking, real good. Ain’t no such thing, as too many diamonds on my ring, as wanting too much of every damn good thing,” sings Dav!d in the opening lines of “Ain’t No Such Thing”. The track sees the duo move up another notch in quality and expression.
The duo’s heart remains synth-heavy, while their sense of rhythm on the track gives them a heady charm. Moreover, now there is an extra dimension, an extra frisson, as Dav!d&Clara bring some more raw feelings to the studio.
This is powerfully communicated in “Ain’t No Such Thing”, which finds Dav!d once again drawing the curtains and allowing his true feelings to break cover. “Baby do you, do do do, let’s try something, something new new. The gold and blue, the heathen to heaven, the best life be gettin’. Baby, come back, don’t leave me, don’t hold back, let me suffer for your pleasure. Love beyond any definition or measure.”
“Ain’t No Such Thing” offers a rich texture of deeply resonating synths for the listener to dive into. And once again Dav!d&Clara’s command of a catchy, affecting melody runs through the track, showing the human element of songwriting that will never die, despite Clara’s dominating and pleasurable presence.
Sonically and stylistically, “Ain’t No Such Thing” is an updated continuation of the duo’s previous work. It is both fresh and familiar, showcasing a blend of electronic music that perfectly encapsulates a sound that deserves to be its own genre. “Ain’t No Such Thing” is, in other words, utterly original and rewarding.
OFFICIAL LINKS: WEBSITE – BANDCAMP – APPLE MUSIC – SPOTIFY