“A steady foundation for the lyrics and psychedelic twists to be built upon.”
Edinburgh four-piece Dazed & Confused bring the heat with brand new single, ‘Burn‘. The quartet, who formed in 2020, follow on from the success of ‘Come Around‘, a recent single that saw them gaining airplay, recognition on numerous big publications, and over 10,000 Spotify streams. Both of these 2023 singles are part of an upcoming EP set for release in 2024.
When you listen to Dazed and Confused, there is a sense of familiarity and nostalgia to them. The members of the band, consisting of frontman Callum O’Reilly, drummer Alfie Smith, bassist Archie Brewis, and guitarist Ruariadh Rattray, all share a love of music. In particular, they listen to similar artists like Wunderhorse and Kings of Leon. This seems to have really aided them in their own musical journeys, resulting in a cohesive array of tracks that they all enjoy making and playing live. Such influences can be heard throughout this track as well as their other releases like ‘Red Road‘ and ‘1000 Guitars‘. Their approach is simple yet incredibly effective: catchy choruses and memorable melodies.
However, these influences haven’t lead Dazed & Confused down a path of recreating the music they like. Instead, they have combined various genres and musical techniques to generate their own category. Their funk, psychedelic, rock, and almost western sound bear no boundaries and this has seen the group really venture into making music they genuinely love. Lyrically, they have ventured into emotional and mental exploration, coming up with ways to express different feelings or situations in a way nobody else really has. This maturity in songwriting emerges a pattern as it is something that can also be found in previous single ‘Come Around‘.
In ‘Burn‘, Dazed & Confused delve into a discussion of deciding whether to accept the truth in a situation, or ignore it and pretend something is better than it is. Lyrics like “skin me alive for telling the truth“, and “I think you’d rather watch me burn” help to better paint that picture. This vulnerable and personal approach to lyricism has created a song that others will resonate with. However, the broad wording of some of the lyrics also leaves them open to interpretation, allowing listeners to take and leave the parts they do/don’t relate to.
Archie‘s bass playing provides the funk, which can be heard primarily in the verses. Alfie‘s drumming also drives the funk and rock elements to the forefront. Both provide a steady foundation for the lyrics and psychedelic twists to be built upon. These additions come in the form of Callum‘s beautifully clear and easily distinguishable vocals which illustrate every word. Ruariadh‘s signature style of guitar playing brings in that psychedelic element through a spectacular solo and riffs throughout.
The group produced this track with Mark Morrow who has worked with numerous other Scottish groups including Swim School, Vistas, Arcade State, and Retro Video Club. This has resulted in an expertly created track where everything and everyone can be heard, with nothing overpowering or undermining anything else. Each of the band have musical attributes that set them apart from their fellow musicians. Ruariadh’s guitar work, as an example, is unique and has amounted to a sound different from other guitarists.
If the Edinburgh group continue releasing catchy music like ‘Burn‘ and ‘Come Around‘, then the EP is bound to be one that amazes. They are an incredibly talented group and it is such an accolade that their sound is so unique and distinctive in an environment where some bands and artists sound so similar.
Dazed & Confused are gradually increasing the shows they’re playing. You can usually find them playing local Edinburgh venues like Whistlebinkies or playing huge support slots in Glasgow. On December 16th Dazed & Confused return to King Tut’s to support Tijuana Bibles alongside BRSR (Bruiser). The Instagram post below will provide more information on this gig, it’s a lineup you don’t want to miss!