There is a certain magic to Bradley Denniston's latest track, "High Life," a magnetic pull that only an established act with both feet planted firmly in the industry could pull off. With platinum-selling production credit and a catalog of esteemed Hollywood heavy hitters and chart-topping vocalists, Denniston turns the gaze back at himself, providing a raw and funky look at the illusiveness of stardom in his latest single.
"High Life" is a vibrant, horn-soaked ramble through Los Angeles' sparkling but slippery terrain. The song is a groove-driven hybrid of funk, soul, and cinematic lushness, played live with a full band. Brass is punchy, bass lines are sinewy, and drum breaks are crisp. Like every sound on the collection, it was performed and recorded live, a rarity in these days of digital shortcuts and a measure of Denniston's throbbing musicianship.
At a fundamental level, "High Life" is about that performative chase Hollywood pursues affirmation, the smoke-and-mirrors game upon which so much of the entertainment world is based. Denniston's vocals strut along with just the right touch of the sarcastic and the sincere, navigating the track as a jaded observer at a remove rather than a participant out of touch with the glare. The delivery has an almost theatrical intensity, which is no wonder, given Denniston's background scoring films and working on Netflix favorites. It's the beginning of a chapter in a musical about LA, with the dream as irresistible but also all too brief.
Adding to what makes "High Life" punch even harder is the intensity that thumps through it, the good feel, and the rhythm that crests its edge, daring you to dance even when the lyrics are drawing back the veil. Both catchy and undeniably fun, it's also intellectually layered, a tightrope that Denniston walks with surprising ease. For those chasing the highs of creative success or just vibes from what's retro and current, "High Life" is not a track but an experience. Bradley Denniston does more than tell the story about the illusion of Hollywood as he scores it, sings it, and delivers it with brassy swagger. With "High Life," Denniston reminds us to live in the moment, folks, and remember that even the brightest lights come crashing down to earth.
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