Words by Georgia Griffiths

LA based producer and songwriter Daniel Allan has been creating bright pop electro tunes for the better part of two years now. Having garnered over nine million streams and opened for acts like Lost Kings, Grandtheft and Bingo Players, he’s now released his debut EP On the Bright Side. It’s a concise collection of four sparkling tracks, and Allan packs a punch into just ten-and-a-half minutes. 

Opener ‘Therapy’ is an upbeat clapback track, with topliner She Is Jules requesting someone to “write a cheque for [her] therapy” throughout the chorus. Allan’s production shines through on this track, with a unique kazoo-like sound creating harmonies around She Is Jules’ vocals. Allan pares it all back when needed, before crashing through again in the chorus. ‘It’s Not Me’, featuring James October, is a fun take on a break up. It borders on tropical house at points, with a muted bassline and chopped vocals taking the fore throughout. Allan consistently proves how adept he is at moving between genres and taking what he needs from different influences to create his own sound. 

‘There For You’ continues this trend, with Alex Saab taking the lead on vocals over a slow build production from Allan. This track is best at its peak, with syncopated, glitching synths and a fuzzy bass evoking a comparison to Skin era Flume. It’s closer ‘Benjamin Button’ that takes the cake on the EP though. It’s a more hip-hop driven track, with Carter Reeves jumping on to add another layer. It’s also the first track Allan has put his own vocals on in a prominent way - a huge milestone for any producer. 

On the Bright Side might be short, but it does what it came to do in that time. It’s a great showcase of Allan’s varied skills, and foreshadows great things to come from the young producer.