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dep Releases Electronica Album ‘We Are The Lights That Will Not Go Out’ – Review

By Kath Galasso on August 21, 2018

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Using music as a way to convey emotions is a concept as old as time. Blending lyrics and melody, a good composer is able to make you feel. Whether it’s anger or fear or joy, music touches your soul, your mind, and your body. However, when you take out half of the composition…say the lyrics, it takes a musician of greater ability to hit those emotional hot spots. Danny Peck, who goes by the professional name of dep, breathes both mood and spirit into his newly released electronica album, We Are The Lights That Will Not Go Out.

dep is no newcomer to the electronic music genre. With a bunch of studio albums and a Tedx talk on electronic music structure under his belt, dep has long been composing and performing out of his base of Asheville NC.

We Are The Lights That Will Not Go Out is a project that surrounds you audibly while at the same time, uplifts your mood. “I wanted to make something to give people hope. I think music can be an instrument of catharsis, and if I can help one person find some sort of release in this crazy world, that’s my release too,” says dep.

The album opens with “Inhale, Exhale” and it’s a good idea to listen and do exactly that. Slightly foreboding as it begins, it quickly becomes deeper but lighter as the sound spreads, like a heartbeat taking control of your body.

“Our Hearts Are Full” offers an almost spiritual feel on background, while the foreground offers a pathway of stepping stones to follow the sound. Halfway through you seem to arrive at the point of your journey. As if the clouds open and the sun shines down, the music breaks through, almost exploding around you.

“We Know The Way” is full on electronic, beginning very industrial and becoming almost orchestral, all the while keeping a positive vibe. A bit darker in tone, “We Will Never Fail” addresses the ongoing fight while maintaining the confidence needed to continue. “Shimmer (Inception)” has a dreamlike quality, as if you are floating within the music. No fear or anxiety, it elevates you to a distant pinnacle and lets you briefly touch the peak.

“We Must Be Strong” reminds us that euphoria is not constant and we must push ahead as the conflict of our lives continues. Finally, “We Are The Lights” continues the optimistic tone of the album as the album closes. It feels bright, it feels as if you can clearly see the road ahead.

Six of the eight songs on the album begin with either ‘we’ or ‘our.’ No coincidence there. dep has created the album with a ‘We’re all in this together’ mentality. You enter into a world of community, and with that community all is possible.

The craftsmanship of this work is undeniable. It’s out of my comprehension of all the gadgets, gizmos and creativity needed to produce this album, but dep has surely mastered it all.

Review by Kath Galasso @KatsTheory

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