Fuzz-soaked Anthem That Refuses To Play Nice
Published
Dark Side (Single)
Gun-Shy Butterfly
The Philadelphia-based duo - Julie Exter and Andrea Tarka White - emerge with a debut single that’s as emotionally raw as it is musically explosive.
Rooted in the DNA of 90's alt-rock and bubble grunge, “Dark Side” takes cues from bands like Veruca Salt, L7 and Bleach-era Nirvana, offering gnarly guitar tones, distorted harmonies and a rhythm section that is alive, and unrelenting.
But beneath the blast beats and fuzz pedals lies something deeper.
“Dark Side” is a song about betrayal, and the transformational power of anger. Written in the aftermath of a personal and social rupture, when people the songwriter trusted chose to believe a manipulative man over her, the song dives into the moment when grief gave way to fury and fury gave way to clarity.
It’s about refusing to perform sweetness, rejecting toxic positivity and choosing to embrace the darker parts of oneself in order to move forward.
White and Exter who are both seasoned veterans of the Philly indie scene, bring serious chops to the table. They are both accomplished singer-songwriters, multi-instrumentalists and producers.
“Dark Side” was largely recorded DIY in Exter’s basement, with final vocals cut at The Daisy Corner in Philly and The Gradwell House in New Jersey. The track was mixed by Dave Downham and mastered by Kim Rosen of Knack Mastering, both lending polish without scrubbing away the song’s beautifully gritty edge.
For all its weight, “Dark Side” never loses sight of melody or nuance. The vocals are smart and sardonic, while the instrumentation is lean but fully loaded. The band proves that two people can sound like a storm, especially when they’ve got something real to say.
