Track of the Day: Jerichos – Dirty Horse (2024)
The 21st century’s answer to Happy Days’ Fonzie, UK-based Jerichos is the embodiment of coolness. In his single ‘If You Want It Now’, he found the anthem to a summer of laidback grooves and he keeps it coming in his new single ‘Dirty Horse’.
From the brain of singer-songwriter Julian Wagstaff, his music has turned heads internationally for the past few years. From the well-received 2020 single ‘Way Hotter Than Flamingos’ to 2024’s ‘If You Want It Now’, he traverses different flavours of pop from dark alternative pop to funk-tinged pop and a snippet of disco. Following the chilled-out grooves of ‘If You Want It Now’ with its RnB-tinged pop tones, ‘Dirty Horse’ brings a heavier, hard-hitting flutter of disco and funk to the underlying pop vibes.
With a bold bass, dynamic keyboards and pulsating drums, ‘Dirty Horse’ captures freedom, independence and carefree rambunctiousness, however from a slightly different angle. Instead of upbeat “thrown to the wind” joviality, this song is darker hinting at the inner need to break out and shirk overwhelming responsibilities, expectations and restrictions. Jerichos explains:
“’Dirty Horse’ is within us all, the urge to let loose completely, not have a care in the world. Always hiding and suppressing oneself until you can’t contain it anymore. So, what do you do? You let that bad boy out, unleash the dirty horse breakbeat within you…”
One aspect of ‘Dirty Horse’ that I find intriguing is how Jerichos stokes rebelliousness and empowerment with the bouncing beat, but acknowledges the profound weight of reality. Rich vocals match heavy melodies oscillating from “Oh we can’t do that because it’s not according to the rules” to “Oh screw it, you only live once”. Highlighting his polished understanding of music, lyricism and the threading of reality through a moving tune, Jerichos is powerfully profound but still refreshingly innocent.
In addition to the single, Jerichos released an official music video for ‘Dirty Horse’. You can view it below or via his YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about Jerichos on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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