Summer themes radiate throughout Daily J’s debut album ‘Venus Ate Mars’. Produced by singer-songwriter and producer, Joe Faris, the 11-tracks are a tasteful display of the combination of styles between writers and producer. 

Rolling into this joyous album hazy tune Letting Go is an excellent introduction. Seeing the band’s sound develop, the track also celebrates the upbeat and dreamy side to psychedelic pop/rock. Letting Go makes for a tight grasp and an easy pull into an album which features the familiarities of predecessors alongside fresh sounds,

The album’s visionary values are flaunted seamlessly with the electric-charged followed up tune, Golden Light. Featuring free-flowing, open and optimistic sounds, a deep saxophone line is brought into the mix, filling in the blanks between vocal harmonies and a bright guitar tone. Free Holiday conveys a clever sense of British art rock act 10cc’s famous track of a similar name, in doing so emphasising the radio-friendly potential of Daily J. 

Lyrically there is a lot of thinking-out-loud and ‘Venus Ate Mars’ is a journey best discovered from start to finish. The band express a number of ideas and take a dip into wandering the thoughts of the mind. Being drawn in slowly from a dreamy state the album progresses emotionally, with the changed vocal tone of closer Tear On reflecting the darker and more daring aspects that have elsewhere peeked through in the compositional and melodic lines. It builds up to a soulful and intense finale which encapsulates the energy represented throughout ‘Venus Ate Mars’.

Hailing from Blenheim, the talented indie rock four-piece (brothers Jayden Paul on vocals/guitar, Jesse on sax/keys, Jonny on bass, and their mate Rick on drums) released their debut EP ‘The Other Side’ back in 2017. Collectively this new release is the definition of a pleasant dream-state that will certainly make an ideal backdrop for any 2020/21 summer gathering, unobtrusive but smart. The evolution of Daily J’s sound leaves hopes high for what might come next.