Riding the neon green wave of "Brat," The Dare’s debut album "What’s Wrong With New York?" is begging you to dance. With recent sightings at Charli XCX’s Boiler Room sets wearing a full suit and sunglasses, head-bobbing seemingly unfocused on the overwhelming boom behind the DJ booth, The Dare, or Harrison Smith, is a producer and artist delivering degenerate, cigarette-drenched dance music in his debut record. After his work on “Guess” off in the cultural explosion of “Brat Summer,” The Dare has been brought into the limelight. The single “Girls,” released in 2022, is featured on the album. The track, which has been overtaking the TikTok for you page as of late, is incredibly attuned to the “indie sleaze” sound. It’s so anachronistic that you can’t help but swear that you’ve heard it somewhere before. The entire album harkens back to the dance-punk indie that dominated music spaces a decade-or-so ago. The vocals border on a shout, the lyrics center around sex, partying, and overall depraved behavior: the one thing that matters is partying.
The album feels very one-noted throughout, coming out the gate with “Open Up,” asking the listener to be present and relax, because “it’s just rock and roll.” He is also asking the same of a woman’s legs. Each track follows suit with overt sexuality, groovy bass, and loud drums. Other notable tracks include single “Perfume,” a cheeky song about pull and desire because of the perfume you’ll have to pry from his “cold dead grip.” “Elevation” stands out, with its yearning lyrics and muted synths. The album’s closer “You Can Never Go Home” is a nihilistic command to live it up. "What’s Wrong With New York?" is booming, and of course, sleazy. This record is for fans of LCD Soundsystem, 2014 Tumblr nostalgia, and sweaty dancing. Early-2010’s nostalgia and dance-club yearning have seemingly taken internet discourse by storm in recent years, fueled by Charli XCX’s propensity for modern Club Classics and now, The Dare: Gen Z is coming into their 20’s fighting for their right to party, one album at a time.
- Lindsey Simpson
