Keeplove? is the brain child of singer-songwriter and producer, Dave Samano, whose style of music is so exceptional it needed a new sub-genre named for it. “Folkstep”, the creative umbrella under which Samano mixes fantastically original American folk sounding vocals and acoustic melodies with dubstep production that all fuse together to create a new style of electronic music lacking in unnecessary boundaries.
Northernways is Keeplove?’s debut full-length record, a ten track album released via Michal Menert’s Super Best Records that is truly ear-opening and mind-bending, as any good experimental music should. If you’re the type of music enthusiast always on the hunt for new portals of sound to unlock, expanding your mind and soul then look no further than Northernways.
“LoveHasADifferentSound” kicks off the album in full future-sounding force, bold and a bit abstract at first, but wait for Samano’s vocals and dubstep beats to kick in and your introduction to Folkstep unfold. “Love We Gained” features label head, Menert, for a very honest, more acoustic led track that creates a very peaceful listening experience, washing over the soul.
The horns on Northernways’ third track, “It’s Easy”, make for a serenely majestic listening experience, one you could picture played out in a larger scale with a live band with chill goose bumps oozing from your pores. If you’re in a pinch for time, but still curious about the feel of folkstep, jump straight to “Live Dangerously”. It perfectly encompasses the nature of sound – strong folk-fused vocals layered over dubstep, neither overshadowing the other.
“Michigan”, likely an ode to Samano’s home state, features a hauntingly beautiful duet with Hannah Samano, both voices well complimented by the blasts of future bass. “After Dark” and “No Other” follow the folkstep formula trickling that singer/songwriter style sound over spacey bass lines, but “Hurt Someone” really takes you down a rabbit hole, and you won’t want to find the bottom. It moves from an almost tribal sounding intro into an exceptionally heart-warming melody sure to stick with you.
Samano’s style has been compared to what the product of a Bassnectar and Mumford and Sons collaboration might sound like, which is definitely apparent in “Burned Out”, which could easily be a Mumford and Sons song that a DJ has had his way with. Northernways closes out with the very groovy, “OneOneOneOne”.
Keeplove?’s remarkable talent and quest for innovation will surely set him apart from the pack of electronic artists. We look forward to more greatness to come from Samano and the revolutionary folkstep movement.
Connect with Keeplove?
https://www.facebook.com/keeplovemusic/?fref=ts
https://twitter.com/KeeploveDetroit
https://soundcloud.com/keeplovemusic
http://folkstep.com/
https://player.spotify.com/artist/6fP8k5qXftpq51ra4Nz3eU
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