Genre-bending quartet Smokey Brights shine with their raw, unbridled single, "Peace Sign Pentagram," from their upcoming album, "Dashboard Heat," set for release on September 26 via nonprofit label Share It Music. A grungy, galactic explosion of pop, indie, and alternative rock, the track is part catharsis, part cosmic aspiration.
"Peace Sign Pentagram" finds the sure of Smokey Brights in full throes. Fronted by soulful dual vocals of Kim West and Ryan Devlin, the track unfurls like a solar flare, brilliant, spiky, and impossible to look away from. West's keys swish across Devlin's guitar work with confidence, with bassist Luke Ragnar and drummer Nick Krivchenia finding a groove with a defiant, purposeful pulse. There's a raw, spiky, anxious energy that makes it feel right this moment and timeless at the same time.
The song operates in that transitional chasm between light and dark, peace and chaos. But rather than proffering neat, easy answers, Smokey Brights embraces the conflicting qualities, letting their grooves serve as a conduit for an emotional frankness. "Dashboard Heat" was produced by Andy D. Park, who has a talent for capturing lightning performances, and now they have the literal proof. Park recorded the album in exchange for Devlin painting his studio. The result is a record that sounds as handcrafted as it is.
In keeping with their community-minded ethos, Smokey Brights also show that they back it up. Some of the proceeds from "Dashboard Heat" will be donated to The Vera Project, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging young people through music and art. They're a perfect match for a band that has always viewed creativity as both an expression and an act of activism. "Peace Sign Pentagram," for Smokey Brights, comprises not just a song, but also a statement of intent. It's audacious and ballsy, and can still aim for the stars and end up changing everything in the process.
Discover Smokey Brights on Instagram