Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Format: Digital, CD + DVD.

Background/Info: “Dark Horse” is the fourteenth (!) full length album released by Australian electro-pop artist Daniel Hall. It also is his second work released by the British label Pink Dolphin Music. The album is once again accompanied with a DVD featuring a clip of twelve from the thirteen songs.

Content: Daniel Hall no longer has secrets for me. His classically, styled electro-pop music is mixing dreamy passages and other, more danceable songs. The Depeche Mode influence is a noticeable element, but throughout the years this artist has established his own, recognizable sound carried by a high-tech sound production. One of the songs (cf. “Wonderful”) is featuring The Anix while there also is a song (cf. “Leopard”), which was previously released as a single, remixed by Screamershock. There also is a song (cf. “You’re The Light”) featuring heavenly female vocals by Charlotte Henry.

+ + + : As I already mentioned Daniel Hall is an artist I’m following for several years now and who no longer has secrets for me. I’m familiar with his polished and professionally produced electro-pop music. But each album again this prolific artist touches me with some cool songs. I remain mainly inspired by his more danceable stuff. The song “Inconvenience” definitely appears to be one of the most club-friendly cuts. But I also have to mention “Losing You’ for its overwhelming sound treatments while “Wonderful – The Anix Edit” has something harder and still dancefloor driven. “Poison Love” is another song I want to mention for the great sound treatments and the progression of song structure.

And Daniel Hall did it again; releasing a clip of each song (just “It Can’t Go On Like This” is missing) that you can find on the DVD. Twelve clips for thirteen songs! The clips again are pretty professional, diversified and giving a real extra to the album. I like the clips of “Poison Love” and “Losing You”.

– – – : I’m still not a huge fan of the softer cuts of the artists. They bring a break to the work, but I sometimes experienced a kind of soporific sensation listening to “Want” or “Skin Deep”.

Conclusion: Pink dolphin Music is a label I’m not familiar with, but I hope they help the artist increasing his recognition. “Dark Horse” is one of the best Daniel Hall’s albums I’ve heard.

Best songs: “Poison Love”, “Losing You”, “Wonderful – The Anix Edit”, “Inconvenience”, “Nothing To Lose”, “Come Back To Me”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/designhallptyltd

Label: www.facebook.com/pinkdolphinmusic