Datastar – Singles
Datastar – Singles Review
I mean…y’ain’t gonna find me complaining about any of this, that’s for sure.
Datastar is like my spirit animal in digital form. I’ve got a whole selection of cuts from what appears to trace back to the roots of this project’s beginnings…which I believe trace back roughly to around 2018 if I’m seeing what I’m seeing online. No lie…Datastar’s a little more elusive than most online when it comes to the info part of things…but hey, we’re here for the music anyway, man. From what I understand, this is actually a collective of musicians of some sort, specializing in variety and embracing versatility like the asset it genuinely is when it comes to style & sound. Which all makes sense to me after checking out a bunch of cuts from the catalog of Datastar…I’ve got seven tracks here in review and they all speak volumes on behalf of both the addictive qualities in their music, and the professionalism they bring to the results; they execute on their vision of audible diversity with digitally infused passion.
Some of you out there will no doubt remember the video for “Don’t Panic” that we posted up on our pages back in April last year – not only did they drop a stellar intergalactic vibe on us all, but they brought their visual A-game along with it – if you haven’t checked that out before, you can see it all for yourself by clicking right here. Definitely a fantastic first impression and an absolutely lively one at that – you could hear in this track that traces back to their beginnings that they had all the right tools to succeed in the Electro/EDM realm with spectacular production and sound that leaps straight outta your speakers. I still dig on “Don’t Panic” now, just as much as I did in 2020, and if I had known about it back in 2018, I’m sure I’d have been digging on it back then too – the point is, it’s a single that remains fresh & welcome anytime you’ll hear it. The put the work into these digital grooves y’all – they’re built to last.
The proof is in the pudding y’all – listen to “Just Like That,” and you’ll realize that the moment this crew stepped outta the gate, they came equipped with music designed to make an impact on ya – this cut came out the year after “Don’t Panic” from what I can see online, and you can hear the slight shifting towards what feels like a more melodically enhanced vibe. I don’t know if it would be fair to say you hear them level up right away…the consistency in the quality of these cuts is pretty even right across the board when it comes right down to it – but hey, at this point, it was merely a year or likely less between these first two tunes – this was confirmation that the kickassness you heard on “Don’t Panic” was indeed, no fluke whatsoever. What I can tell ya without hesitation, is that “Just Like That” has an addictively rubbery bounce to it that is guaranteed to get ya movin’ in all kinds of crazy ways you didn’t even know your limbs would bend. For real – I’m like one of those wacky wavy inflatable arm-flailing tube dudes from the side of the road when this track comes on, every time. A couple ticks in, and BAM – “Just Like That” I’m feelin’ the vibe all over again and busting moves I was positive I didn’t even have before this song came along. You get the point – this is seriously fun stuff, equally entertaining, and quite stunningly professional almost despite how playful it might appear as it bounces through your speakers – “Just Like That” will reliably put the pep in your step any time you need it – believe that.
“Blackheart” would have come out the same year as “Just Like That” originally back in 2019, and it’ll give you a completely different vibe that’s pretty much a full departure from the rest of this set I’ve got here in review today. Things become darker, more menacing, more aggressive, more textured and bold in the low-end…and hell, it IS called “Blackheart” after all, so it’s probably to say it has a meaner sound to it that’s intense by design…digital intending to let off a lil’ steam, you follow me? A whole bunch of things that would seem to be at odds with each other can be true here in this experience – the first being, it’s a solid cut…it works with an Electro-Industrial/EDM style vibe that has all the sonic balls of a Nine Inch Nails cut and wildly dynamic sound. That being said, compared to the rest…there’s an argument to be made that the production on this particular cut doesn’t quite hold a candle to the rest of the other six – BUT…the dramatic increase of so much low-end in the mix also makes the whole track a million times harder on the hands behind the studio boards to really match the brightness you’re gonna find the other songs from Datastar tend to have. I like the idea, I like pretty much every aspect of this cut when it comes right down to it – but amidst these others, again, it almost played like a defiant part of this set of seven that was determined to force its way through my speakers come hell or high water. So like I said…a bit of push-pull when it comes to how I personally feel about it in the context of listening to a bunch at once, but if I was to stumble upon “Blackheart” on its own as the single it was originally released as, I’m sure I’d be all over it. I mean…y’all can blame me if you like…I’m just saying that Datastar had better tunes lining both sides of this cut with “Just Like That” and “The Burden Of Knowing” right afterwards…is that my fault – or is it theirs? It’s hard not to compare tunes together when you get’em in a set…but like I mentioned, objectively, as a single, “Blackheart” rocks pretty strong.
“The Burden Of Knowing” shows up at YouTube with the video treatment & all…but not yet posted up at Spotify…and nope, I couldn’t tell ya what’s up with that. Like I told ya from the get-go here, Datastar is a bit more hard to pin down on the internet than most you’ll find online…I’m not entirely sure exactly what the plan is, what the motivation is, or what inspires this project to make music whenever it does – all I can ever tell ya definitively is what I like to hear – and “The Burden Of Knowing” would be right up there with my favorites from their catalog so far, if not my favorite cut all-around. A track like this takes me right back to the days where I was first checking out bands like Four Tet, Lemon Jelly, Prefuse 73, and Looper in the digital realm, and really absorbing just how much beauty & melody could be found within electro-based tunes. Before that, I was probably a purest at heart…one of those people that believed too much in the idea that you could only generate sincerity through analog instruments, which of course, we all know isn’t the case at all. Tracks like “The Burden Of Knowing” are full proof of that – this is one of those songs you can feel and one of those moments in time you won’t forget. I hear a song like this one, and I know I’m gonna add it permanently to the soundtrack of my own life – it’s beautifully irresistible, chilled-out, sweet, stunningly produced, and just straight-up spellbinding if you ask me. You get a full palette of emotionally-based sound that’ll take you from melancholy vibes to hope-filled ones & back again…by the time it’s done, I think you’ll all be extremely pleased with how endearing this cut really is. Ultimately, there’s not a bad song in this set – that’s the facts – but this track always stood out to me as just that much more gorgeous, that much more sincere, that much more beautiful all-around.
“Bright Shining Light” ain’t too far behind how I feel about “The Burden Of Knowing” or “Just Like That” – Datastar has a verifiable place in the world of uplifting sound, and most of these tracks reflect that positive spark inside the melodies they’re creating. If anything, “Bright Shining Light” might even be a little too sunny-side up for some…and hey, I get it…if moodier stuff is your jam, like I told ya earlier, Datastar’s got you covered there too – go head back over to “Blackheart” & fill your boots. Anyhow – the point is, I’d get it if a few felt that way about this particular tune…but like…on the other hand…well…I mean…Datastar is JAMMIN’ yo! There’s a lot of fun to be had here once again, there’s a sparkling clarity to the mix on this cut, and a solid mix of energy, melody, and synthetic vibes to be enjoyed…you’d have to be among the hardest of hearts out there to reach over and turn down a tune like “Bright Shining Light” you know what I mean? It’s got that like…G-rated spirit to it…inoffensive, cheerful, and designed for good times…it’s hard to rail against a track like this with such a radiantly inspired atmosphere…it feels all-encompassing & all-inclusive in all the right ways. PLUS…if you need a bit more incentive to dig on “Bright Shining Light” I got some for ya right here – feast your eyes & ears on THIS – the colorful electro-psychedelic vibes of this new single are now available in visual form too!
As for the final two tracks I’ve got here…I don’t actually know where they fit into the timeline, or if they’ve been officially released yet – all I know is that I have more luck finding credit applications online in the process of trying to track down a band known as Datastar. Again – all I can ever tell ya is what I like to hear, and this is that, for sure – “You Love Me” is a sensational cut! So’s the next one too, but we’ll get to that in a minute – right now, you need to understand that “You Love Me” is freakin’ fantastic and then we’ll go from there. I’d put this right up there with “Just Like That” – maybe even a notch above it, and right behind “The Burden Of Knowing” on my own personal list over here…”You Love Me” puts the real PH into the PHATNESS of these vibes here, and gets the maximum potential out of every single digital note & tone to be found, flexing serious depth in the dynamics between the low-end grooves and the atmospherically-inclined breaks in between. In any event, the effect is perfection – flawless perfection – “You Love Me” keeps it lighthearted, fun, upbeat, and endlessly entertaining – Datastar has an incredible knack for making music that’s bound to add energy into your day, and this is another highlight example of that – they make tunes that make ya feel good – and who wouldn’t want some of that? I’m tellin’ ya…put on some Datastar the next time you’ve got something that’s gonna take you hours to work on…with this in the background, I’m willing to bet you get it all done in half the time.
We conclude with “We Don’t Carry Cash” for this particular review…and…
…I’m gonna give a big thumbs up to this track, even though chances are I might be the exception & not the rule. What can I say? I’m a weird guy & I like weird tunes – and this, Datastar is gonna have to admit, qualifies. Don’t go holding it against’em now folks…everyone out there has the license to get weird with it every once in a while, and everyone SHOULD! Think of things like…the hidden track on Stone Temple Pilots Purple album…or oddities like “You Never Wash Up After Yourself” on the My Iron Lung EP by Radiohead…the list could go on & on…but it’s these unexpected, unique, and exquisitely strange twists that quite often end up becoming cult hits and massive fan favorites, you feel me? “We Don’t Carry Cash” is like…I mean…it’s bloody brilliant – it’s not like Datastar gives you a ton of vocals ever to begin with, but with the title being the ONLY thing we have to go on – are we supposed to conclude that this is indeed, a song written entirely based on an unfortunate customer service experience somewhere out there in the world? I’ve always maintained, we all gotta write about SOMETHING…but obviously this is taking liberties with that statement to the nth degree – so of COURSE I love it! As I’ve said a million times, I do not, repeat, do not need to hear another song about chicks & cars in this one lifetime I’ve led – so any other theme is quite welcome, every time, even one as bizarre as this might be…if not especially so. All-in-all, “We Don’t Carry Cash” is actually quite serene, quite compelling, quite captivating…beyond the implied theme, whatever you might make of it…there’s a beautiful song at the core of this cut, and it does connect with its mix of sincere & endearing melody. Love the vocals, love the call & response they share with the music…it’s like, “We Don’t Carry Cash” yes – but at the same time, it’s like, this is the explanation you get instead, and the musical apology for the inconvenience of the circumstances. And it’s like…you know…sunny skies & good vibes…no big deal at all – you don’t carry cash, we get it…we’ll pull out some plastic and keep this party rollin’ along just fine.
Great stuff being made by Datastar so far! I dig each song in this set for essentially its own set of reasons, and the quality across the board shows this collective of talent has a ton to offer your ears in a variety of ways. From the agro-vibes of “Blackheart,” to the mellowness of “The Burden Of Knowing,” to the bizarre beauty of “We Don’t Carry Cash,” to the visually enticing video coming along with the latest single “Bright Shining Light” – Datastar gives you plenty to love, and plenty to load up your playlists with.
Listen to more music by Datastar at Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0aA3lby1l781o5HR4bE1LF
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