Dana Jean Phoenix - Le Mirage

Dana Jean Phoenix is a name in the synthwave scene that I've heard time and again, over and over. Shuffling through various playlists on YouTube I was able to find various songs with Phoenix as either the sole producer, or had her collaborating with another name. However, that was always in passing and at a time when I wasn't critically thinking about the music. It was at a time when I needed something to get me by in the gym, or when I was taking a quick drive to work. 

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of reviewing a compilation from German record label Kiez Beats titled Synthwave (The 80s Revival). The brilliant collection contained a multitude of producers big and small found within the synthwave scene, and it was also with this compilation that I finally had the time to close off the world around me and focus in on the music. By some divine intervention - or a very good choice by Kiez Beats - Dana Jean Phoenix's title track from her most recent album Le Mirage started off the compilation and I was completely blown away. 

This led me to want to discover more about Dana Jean Phoenix, and I was ushered over to her Bandcamp page where I discovered not only her debut album, but also her sophomore debut. After listening to her thirteen track album over and over for the last week, I finally discovered why Phoenix has become a house hold name in the ever so retro electronic scene. 

Phoenix has the attitude and funk of the eighties brought into the modern age, sometimes mixing in early 90s pop influences on seen as such tracks as 'My DeLorean (Lazer Rays)'. As with the compilation I mentioned earlier, the title track of Le Mirage begins off the album and that track gets me every single time. It's the perfect combination of smooth vocals, moody electronics, and romantic guitars. Just when you think the song is about to end, Phoenix's voice comes back for one more verse and really makes you melt. I have been listening to that song a lot lately and for good reason. 

From there I went through a melting pot of Phoenix's talent. Whether she's trying to make you move and groove in tracks such as 'Modern Fairytale', laying down romanticizing synths with 'In Borrowed Time', or creating in house remixes of her own song 'In This World', Phoenix is a force that's to be reckoned with. As her musical prowess grows so does her reach, and this is a woman who is on her way to the top of the game. Le Mirage is a must have album for any retro lover! 
Mar 18 2017