Detroit-based songwriter Daniel Rodak presents his self-titled album as a stripped-back, self-produced statement rooted in folk and folk-rock tradition, recorded just outside the city in his bedroom with a “less is more” ethos guiding its raw, intimate character.
“Play To Win” opens the album with a lively folk entrancement, infusing lively strums and frolicking twangs as Rodak’s fervent vocals emerge. “I play to win, I went home empty-handed and alone,” he lets out during a magnetic chorus, maintaining the sturdy folk backing amidst the escalated vocal infectiousness. References to rolling the dice and an aim to “keep my eyes on the prize” further cement the risk-taking apparent in life, and for some more than others. Ensuing track “The Dust Is Always Getting In My Eye” achieves a more introspective haze, fondly reminiscent of The Tallest Man On Earth in its pairing lo-fi shimmering strums with a heartfelt vocal ardor.
Quality songwriting continues throughout the album. “God Is Real” pairs a stream-of-conscious vocal feeling — conveying an “I’ve been down this road before” weariness — amidst a prancing acoustic vibrancy, while “Lucid Dream” achieves another atmospheric world entirely. There, psychedelic electric guitar twangs and bursts of vocal emotion conjure a delectably off-kilter mystique, then returning to a cathartically melodic brightness with the enveloping “Medicine Man,” professing “I will be your medicine man” with reassuring warmth. Daniel Rodak consumes with a thoroughly enjoyable folk sound across this album.
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“Play To Win” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Folk.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
