Stolen Days showcase their ambitious, ever-shifting blend of hip-hop, alternative pop and indie on their self-titled debut album
Known individually as Dub Sonata and Alex Fitts of The Kickdrums, genre-defying duo Stolen Days have been causing a stir since back in June with the release of their immersive debut single ‘Butterfly’ showcasing a vibrant and ambitious sound that is packed full of appeal. The duo have now released their debut self-titled album Stolen Days, and have provided a fully fleshed out and exciting showcase of their captivating, ever-expanding style.
The album opens with the aforementioned ‘Butterfly’, a track that is built upon a cinematic soundscape that melds dreamy alternative pop aesthetics with more hip-hop rooted beats. There is an almost hypnotic feel to the track and the way that it flows, as the lyrics touch upon themes like growth, renewal, and an constantly changing world that will move on without you if you can’t shift and move alongside it.
The poppy melodies of ‘Under My Skin’ follow, a track that does a great job of marrying the ambitious and creative with a more commercial and accessible appeal, making for a sound that feels intoxicating and memorable thanks to its stabbing piano melodies and 2000s hip-hop production, while ‘The Room’ has a bit more of a laid-back trip-hop feel to it that feels as effortlessly crafted as it is compelling.
‘Daydream’ is a track that has a really fun feel to it throughout, creating this hazy kind of aesthetic that pairs nicely with their sample-heavy style, evoking feelings of summer as it explores escapist themes and a love for dissociating and escaping from the real world. It feels like a really great example of the kinds of ways that they meld different facets of indie rock and hip-hop to craft their distinctive sound, and is just one of a plethora of highlights for the way that they achieve it.
The two tracks that follow really highlight the breadth and sense of scope that the album has, with ‘Vicki’ feeling like one of the more straight-forward indie pop bangers on the album whereas ‘Stolen Days’ has a really easy-going psychedelic feel to it stylistically that pulls you into a world of exploration and swirling, kaleidoscopic soundscapes.
‘No Need For Alarm’ is the duo’s third and most recent single following on from ‘Butterfly’ and ‘Daydream’, a synthy and stylish affair that has a funk-like bounce to it thanks to its immersive grooves and the charming way that the instrumentation comes together, making for arguably the boppiest and most fun track on the album.
Following the tender balladry of ‘The Moment’, the album comes to a close with the deftly crafted double-hit of ‘Faith Pt. 1’ and ‘Faith Pt. 2’, showcasing the duality of their sound through the former track having a more all-encompassing and beat-heavy feel while the latter has a more organic, piano and vocals feel to it that gives it a much more personal and heartfelt touch to bring things to a close.
All things considered, Stolen Days is a hugely ambitious and adventurous debut release that sees the artists having a rough outline for the kind of sound and style they want and then pushing and pulling it in a variety of different directions to convey different moods and create differing atmospheres. This release should really put Stolen Days on the map as a force in modern music that looks to create a sense of feeling and resonance rather than catering to algorhythms, and it makes for a half hour of listening that never sags or grows stale as a result.
