Who the heck is Derrick Attwood and Joshua Paltoo? Well, they are JDR. Who the heck is JDR? JDR is an electronic dance-pop due from down under, currently setting the independent EDM scene alight. I didn’t expect you to know these names right off the cuff – neither did I before now. But I do expect you to listen up, and write these names down for future reference. You don’t want to be caught out as being obtusely birdbrained when you find JDR shooting up Top40 Charts all over the globe, in the very near future, do you? All shined and shipped out of the JMC Academy, the pair from Sydney Australia, produce their own music and sing their own songs.
Fresh out of the box, their summer anthem and crossover single, “Only U”, has already been receiving major radio play as well as critical acclaim from the media. And the reason why is incredibly simple: in terms of full balance of their melodic grooves, JDR might just be one of the best EDM performing and production duos working in the pop dance scene right now.
They’re hitting those power chords against the bass grooves accented by guitars, sneaky synths, and frolicking percussion, because their grasp of the fundamentals of a killer melody are absolutely outstanding in capturing a mood, with their production picking up every pristine edge for display.
JDR fully aware that their voices are going to provide the rougher human element within the mix, so they’re working to ensure the melodies are polished to a mirror shine and are precisely balanced against a groove that feels both easy going but remarkably propulsive all the same.
Derrick Attwood and Joshua Paltoo smooth and harmonize their vocals, but just listen to how well-timed the click of the percussion and squeaky synth effects balance against the melody on “Only U”.
Listen the elusive but sharp guitar lines behind the vocals, with verses that understand their range and a hook that utterly goes for broke. And while I would say this is a record most comfortable with big emotions, you do get quieter, wistful touches in between. JDR’s talents and attention to details ring throughout the track.
Heightened by the steaming momentum that EDM is riding on, JDR’s feisty single speaks volumes for their instant rise from out of nowhere, at least for us in the northern hemisphere, and to the celebration the summer season brings with it emotionally.
“Only U” is able to ride off the beaming, emotive euphoria that people feel when the hot sunshine hits the deck and the vision of cool water springs up on the horizon. The summery, splashing essence that is sprayed into this tangy cocktail captures the grip and feel of summer.
This is the kind of track that you definitely need to have looped into your set for pool parties and road trips. It also quite perfectly enough invokes lustful, romantic vibes at the same time. And that’s about the best damn news anybody can get, come summertime!
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