Channeling the likes of Spoon and Foster the People, Dutch Party arrived from the West Coast this month with the subtly addictive “Echo Girl.”
The laid back funk that emanates from the song’s core is immediately familiar and comfortable, still finding originality in hand claps and bass slaps. Frontman Ken Franklin sings easily, swinging from operatic falsetto to conversational above a groove set by Hot Hot Heat’s Luke Paquin.
The band hails from L.A.’s Echo Park, surrounded by the wiles of celebrity. They use it to their advantage, pulling in Vine personality Sione Maraschino for the video. Maraschino is a the author of some superb work—you might recognize him from this Meghan Trainor video. In the video for “Echo Girl,” however, Maraschino gets a meatier role. He works as a custodian for a corporate office. It’s late—the office is empty. There is so much room to dance.
“Paper Moon” is the band’s second release. It’s the more wistful of the two, a bittersweet, sing-song piano lamentation that invokes Dr. Dog and Band of Horses. Dutch Party is just starting out, but they have the natural songwriting abilities to go places.
