In today’s age, technology has flooded our lives with content. Caught in the mire are modern musicians who champion an art form more widely distributed than any other throughout human history. And we, more often than not, overlook the music created by unfamiliar faces because it’s challenging. We’d rather have an easy listen, a known quantity to skim through while we think about something else.
Hearing is easy, but listening is difficult. Welcome to “Why We Like It,” where we rebuke the trends in favor of thoughtful analysis and underknown sounds.
“When We Dance” — Dre Walton
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How We Found It
It might seem fairly straightforward, but there are many ways to enter our SubmitHub inbox. There are songs that waltz in, patient and polished; songs that sidle in, timid and reserved; songs that break on through, fuelled by gusto and charm; and then there are songs that slink on in, breezy and alluring. Dre Walton’s sensuous new single “When We Dance” is one such song.
Why We Like It
The beachside bounce of “When We Dance” is all but undeniable, the tropical mood a call that simply cannot be refused.
Dre’s performance on the mic teeters between emceeing and toasting, the relaxed cadence and loose word association painting a picture in flashes of bright colour. The tale is as old as time itself, but like any good trope, there’s a reason for the appeal. Dre, a stranger at some evening party, locks eyes with an alluring stranger across the dancefloor, the song spilling out as the night takes on an adventurous romanticism.
It’s best explained by the titular refrain – “when we dance, slow down, slow down” – with Dre urging patience and presence even as the pair look to leave together. It’s a song tied to time and place, one that recognises the transience of such moments and revels in the pleasure of the passage. There are more than a few tracks about “hotel, motel, holiday inn,” but “When We Dance” is more interested in the moments that build that tension – stolen glances, hands on hips, an exploration of one another.
It’s a tale told best by Dre’s powerful vocal performance, one that unfurls into polished harmonies and strong melodies as he builds to a crescendo. The dance-ready beat never once gives out, even as the verses take a more lyrical approach, stringing sentences where once there were asides and allusions. His is a believable passion, and taken alongside his commanding sense of rhythm, it’s one that both raises the stakes and stokes the groove.
That’s no mean feat, but neither is “When We Dance.” Whether a cherished memory or a flight of fancy, Dre’s vision of sudden seduction is universal in scope – and, in the wake of this last year, hopefully a sign of things to come.
From Dre Walton
“When We Dance” shaped itself! I created it at a time where I felt the world needed something to dance to; something to take our minds off the pandemic and life’s trials and tribulations. I just wanted everyone to feel good and smile!” – Dre Walton for CentralSauce
More From Dre Walton
Dre’s been kicking around for a minute, but things are really starting to pick up for the Cleveland singer-songwriter.
His debut EP, Negligee, arrived in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2018 that he returned to the fore with a string of loose singles. That year brought forth “90’s R&B” and “Bang Bang,” and the next bore “11.16,” but it was in 2020 that the versatile artist really cut loose with five new tracks – “WYDT,” “Lil’ Mo,” “Your Song,” “Still Draped” and “Checks.”
2021 is off to a similarly auspicious start, with “When We Dance” chasing “Slow Jam” and “11.16 Unplugged,” an acoustic rendition of his popular cut. The year is young and Dre is three singles down, so you’d be wise to tap in with the man on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
More to Discover
Subscribe to the CentralSauce mailing list so you never miss out on the freshest sauce. Check out this continuously updated playlist of songs Conor has added to our Discovery section! Each track or artist has been featured in our “Why We Like It” section, so be sure to check out the page here on the site.
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