Daniel Thomas Gray - Pride

Read more about Daniel's music here

You may not know about Daniel Thomas Gray but you should. He's an artist who has followed his passion in creating music that speaks to a cohort of people who deserve and warrant melodies and lyrics they can relate to. His debut single, Is There Something In Your Closet, was (is) a pulsing synth gem that showcased his knack for insightful narrative and an uplifting beat. His latest tune, Pride, takes us right into the celebratory season for the LGBTQ+ community with an exuberance and vitality that is all too hard to resist. What is admirable and somewhat poignant about the music Daniel has lovingly crafted is that it pays homage to the musical pioneers that came before him. When I was growing up, the only window into the gay world was through the songs sung by Jimmy Somerville, Neil Tennant, Andy Bell, Marc Almond and their various groups. It's clear Daniel has saturated himself in these sounds and channels the influences through a contemporary shimmy on Pride. The bouncing 90s house piano effortlessly dances around a percolating groove and illustrious synth effects. This creates a sonic backdrop that both elevates and intrigues; the perfect setting for Daniel's smooth vocals to guide the melody forward into that mesmerising chorus. He sings of the progress made in terms of equality for the tens of thousands of people who have been marginalised in our lifetime, and for many lifetimes before. Most importantly he urges us to rejoice in the progress but not to think the job is done. Recent legislation in North Carolina proves his point and you just know that if he were touring the world right now, Daniel would be taking a stand right alongside Bruce The Boss. To quote Latrice Royal, get up, look sickening and make them EAT IT is the message within the music that we should all be taking to our hearts - and what better way to wrap that message up than in a giddy orchestration of sounds that feels like a lost demo from Cathy Dennis. (Now there's a compliment bigger than any of the words in this review could give)! Perfect to dance to at 2.15 on that bank holiday Sunday early morning after a weekend of partying. Celebrate with Daniel this summer because he's captured the state of the world today exquisitely. Now where are those remixes...?