Late last year, Game of Thrones extra and supremely talented singer-songwriter BØRNS (Garrett Borns) released Candy, the sort of EP that leaves music fans ecstatic and A&Rs slack-jawed. Music bloggers everywhere, and even the likes of renowned artists like Taylor Swift were instantly obsessed with classics like "10,000 Emerald Pools" and the brilliant "Electric Love". As his fan and play counts grew exponentially, so did the anticipation for his debut album, Dopamine, released just a few days ago, and, in an industry filled with high-quality debut acts, it is both relieving and satisfying to see a talent as big as BØRNS capitalizing off the early success of his. Dopamine is just about the perfect name for this glimmering joyride of an LP, overpowering the listener with adrenaline rush after adrenaline rush of tracks. From the sleek, arpeggiated "Dug My Heart", to the sweet, Beach Boys-like "Overnight Sensation", Dopamine is intent on entering and overwhelming your brain. "Holy Ghost", despite its heavy-handed "Take Me To Church"-isms on the lyrical side of things, is another great example of just another album track here that could easily be the lead single for another, less talented artist. There's plenty of hits on the album here, to be sure (you can almost be certain you'll be hearing at least a few of these songs in ads and shows over the coming months), but more than anything, this album demands to be listened to in its entirety. Dopamine aims to create an immersive sonic experience, and his combination of hard-hitting drums, flawless melodies, and swirls of colorful instrumentation courtesy of producer Tommy English make the body of work nothing short of addictive. Purchase Dopamine on iTunes, stream it all on Spotify, and read our interview with the artist HERE.
BØRNS