Milwaukee may be mainly known for Hip Hop at this point(and to a lesser but equally exciting extent, a DIY Punk Rock scene), the gret music being made here goes way beyond that. From R&B to Dance music to Pop, there are something for all music fans being made in Milwaukee right now, and all of it deserves to be put into the spotlight. A pretty cool Milwaukee-based artist who is carving his own lane when compared to his peers that I came across last year but have yet to cover is dak duBois. I have mentioned him for his contributions to the music of other artists in the city(like *aya, for example), but I now want to start highlighting the solo music that he makes. dak dubois is an Indie Pop artist with a groovy sound that is soothing to the Soul. Over the last couple of years, in addition to many instances of assisting other musicians in the city, dak duBois has put out a plethora of captivating solo music. Last year alone. dak dubois dropped six singles, as well as an album titled TWO, which came out in October(this is a record I play on coming back to at some point this year on this blog, so stay tuned). Recently, dak duBois dropped his first single of the year, titled ‘b mine.’ Below, I wanted to briefly talk about ‘b mine,’ and give you an idea of what you should pay attention to dak duBois. Please let me know in the comments below what you think of this new track from dak duBois, and also comment on the names of any other Milwaukee-based or independent artists you think I should check out!

‘b mine’ has the kind of groovy and sultry sound that one honestly probably would not expect to hear from a Milwaukee artist. When I listen to this one, I think of driving down the PCH in California on a warm summer evening. The bassline that drives this melody is so warm and funky. It has an old-school Soul sound that immediately made me think of artists like George Clinton. That fuzzy, funky sound is more than amplified by the guitar riff and synths that complement the bassline. I really dig how intricate and clean the guitar riff is. The crisp, light-hearted sound of this guitar riff gives the song an atmospheric element. This is especially true in the guitar riff, which stands out in such a great way. The distorted guitar riff that is also tacked onto this melody add to that atmospheric sound and make ‘b mine’ feel all-encompassing. The laid-back and Soulful feeling of this track is more than added onto by the beat. This drum pattern has such a smooth feeling that meshes with the melody perfectly and makes this track so relaxing. dak dubois sings with a soft and raspy tone that somehow contrasts and slides on the instrumental at the same time. The grainy quality of his tone gives the song a cool texture, yet his delicate delivery makes the song so welcoming. ‘b mine’ is a song that is very aptly named. This is a cute love song where dak duBois expresses his admiration for a new significant other he has been talking to. ‘b mine’ is the perfect little Soulful ballad for Valentine’s Day. It was a great way for me to kick off my coverage of the music dak duBois makes, and I am excited to keep following him in the future!