Anyone even remotely cognizant of the boy band craze of the 2000s will be familiar with Joe Jonas. Known for his role in the band The Jonas Brothers, along with—you guessed it—his two brothers, Joe has recently set out to make a name of his own. Joined by drummer Jack Lawless, guitarist JinJoo and bassist Cole Whittle, Jonas serves as the lead singer for the new funk-pop band DNCE. The band recently released their first creation, the EP titled SWAAY.
At first listen, the album is predominately an upbeat, electro foray into the music world. It’s a playful composition that encourages a larger amount of movement while listening. Even the songs that have more of a ballad feel maintain the same energy and unique funk beat throughout.
The first track on the EP is titled “Cake by the Ocean,” and is just as quirky as you can infer from the title. With a distinctive bass line that drives the song along and Jonas hitting the falsetto at the chorus, the song is the perfect choice for their first single. It’s the perfect playful club banger dance track to bust a move to. Out of all the tracks on their EP, this one is the most likely to find its way into your head.
The last track on their EP, “Jinx,” is a little more low-key, but still a fun listen. The song features more of a sweet guitar line, but still echoes the unique funk beat of the EP as a whole. Even though this is probably the slowest song on the album, it’s still not quite at “chill out” level listening, but hits a nice in-between of mellow and upbeat.
The album as a whole is simply just an upbeat, fun listen. The lyrical quality is not going to be quite on par with that of other bands, but I don’t think that is the focus that DNCE is going for. Overall, the theme of the EP seems to be a unique and new pop sound that makes people want to move. It’s a goal typical of all pop music, but DNCE accomplishes it with a bit more individuality than the usual sounds on the radio.
If you are looking to get pumped up on a Friday night or simply need a pick-me-up during a dull Monday, this EP is a good listen to consider.
