def.fo – “Play It Cool”
def.fo – “Play It Cool” – Single Review
If there were any other way for me to play it, I reckon I might try, but alas, cool is all I know.
Stoked to have this debut single from def.fo up here on our pages, this project has got some legs already and a future ahead for sure. “Play It Cool” is smartly performed and put together, and really, it has everything it needs to succeed. It’s one of them vibes without a doubt, and just as subject to the whims of personal taste as any other track would ever be, but for a debut, there’s no doubt that def.fo is on remarkably solid ground and has given this first slice of entertainment every chance of reaching ya. That includes the brilliant shimmer and sheen on the production, that includes the clever video put together to support the song – all that. def.fo has come out of the gate with a winning strategy & sound overall.
Word on the street is that this track is the first offering from the upcoming debut album called Eternity. Simmer down y’all…”Play It Cool” – I said upcoming! As in, in the future ahead, yet to be released – BUT – available for ye olde preorder right now if you hit up the homepage *cough *cough *shameless plug. Anyhow. I’d argue def.fo is definitely one of the more focused & ready bands that you’ll hear at the start of a career, and I feel like there’s truly a sound here to get excited about in what we hear so far in “Play It Cool.” No joke, this is a solid shiny tune without question, and I think people are gonna dig on the laidback level of swagger it has. A real hybrid that blends the past with the present, “Play It Cool” should be able to find itself a widespread audience and easily help build the hype for whatever is next to follow from def.fo as this project led by Tom Powell shifts gears towards the release of Eternity later on.
In my humble opinion, you’ve got an array of things to like or love in this first cut, and precious little to be concerned about, if anything at all. Like I’ve been tellin’ ya, this tune beams and glimmers with its addictive lo-fi indie sound as it makes its intro, then starts radiating irresistibly high-quality vibes only moments later as “Play It Cool” launches into its main dealio. Guitar notes & layers have real presence. The bass-lines basically dictate the rhythm section as it holds the fort, but you’ll find that thanks to the steadiness you’ll find in this instrument, the guitar and drums have even more room to roam around and seriously stir up some fun inside your speakers. The vocals are essentially spot-on for what you’d wanna hear paired with music that sounds like this does, and once again, the genuine quality of the production from start to finish, is flawless. As I’ve been gettin’ at, you don’t really find too many debut artists or bands that sound as ready to roll as what you’ll hear in this first single from def.fo, I can promise ya that.
The right pieces are all in place, and now for def.fo, it’s just a matter of spreading the word about its arrival and creating awareness. As y’all know, a great video will usually help that mission out, and I’d say that “Play It Cool” has got one here with its Tarantino-esque visuals directed by Tom with the assistance of Red Visuals, who also handled the filming and editing. Do I think the parallels between something like the dance sequences & characters that have a penchant for robberies are noticeable in between the video for “Play It Cool” and movies like Pulp Fiction? Sure! To the point where def.fo’s video needed a disclaimer to warn us that it’s “a parody video for entertainment purposes only” though? Probably not so much. That might be taking the fun a little too seriously, or really covering all the bases so that nobody gets sued one day…but I’m not sure in either case that that’s the world we’re livin’ in anymore. Art fuels art in a variety of ways. Sure legal departments can be involved every so often, but for the most part now, it seems like Bo Burnham got it right on Inside, with how he pointed out there’s commentary on the commentaries, endless reaction videos, and media that feeds on itself. I’m of the mind that much of that is complementary, and complimentary in many ways too…and really, that’s what I felt like the video for “Play It Cool” was. Not so much parody, and more like an homage to an iconic scene or two. So if you’re on the phone to legal right now, calm down man – “Play It Cool” & remember that the most likely result of watching this music video is that you’ll go back & re-devour Tarantino’s catalog. Art inspires art, and in today’s world, that’s looked upon more fondly than it ever has been.
Where I’d potentially caution def.fo more than anywhere else is within the song itself. Don’t get me wrong – it’s well-played and well-executed from start to finish, but there is room to evolve too. Right now we’re working with a classic case of all-hook, rather than explore more noticeable dynamics as this single shifts between its verse and chorus, you feel me? “Play It Cool” is practically so laidback and cool that it’s in danger of not providing that crucial spark that might keep people coming back for more, and there’s some risk in that method. Like I said, I’d argue that this song is ALL-hook, so you don’t really end up feeling like it’s lacking anything at all in my opinion, but by that same token, it’s an approach that can have consequences and you wanna be mindful of that. Listeners are conditioned to expect that every song will raise the stakes as it moves from verse to chorus, even if that’s never truly been the case…and while “Play It Cool” might not do that particularly, it’s not exactly a song that has an anti-chorus either where things move backwards. It’s way more chilled-out and balanced than that, which should work to this song’s advantage as it moves to secure a victory in the court of public opinion and a spot on your playlist. I dig it y’all, and I don’t at all think I’ll be alone in that assessment. I think def.fo has cleverly put out a debut song that gives us a lot of things to appreciate from sight to sound, and leaves space for the project to evolve as it continues to grow and expand on its way towards the release of its debut record.
Find out more about def.fo from the official website at: https://www.def.fo
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