DCPA is the brainchild of Texas-born electronic musician and composer Danny Hughes. Hughes’ upbringing in a family of musicians set the stage for his eventual awakening to music’s possibilities in his own life. He followed his heart into electronic dance music during his late teens and experimented with home music production for the first time. It would not be the last.
Practicality called, however, and Hughes went on to graduate from Texas Tech with a degree in accounting. He subordinated his music passions to the demands of daily employment for several years before deciding to bet on himself. He left his job and relocated to Austin, Texas to make a go of achieving recording and performing success. His recent spate of singles bears out the aesthetic wisdom of his decision. “I Feel It Too”, the latest, may be his finest achievement yet.
It is a surging example of prime EDM with robust production values. Hughes has a singular talent for interweaving assorted strands of music into a greater whole. It distinguishes him from many other contemporaries. There is a rhyme and reason to everything unfolding over the course of “I Feel It Too” rather than unsophisticated sonic bludgeoning.
It isn’t one note either. There’s fine and physical EDM out there that engages listeners, but it often settles on one line of attack early on and milks it for all its worth. Hughes plays different angles throughout the cut and does not restrict himself in any way. Including vocals is another sign of his ambition; it is not a luxury all EDM songwriters allow the listener. He treats the singing more or less straight for the bulk of the song. There are surprises, however, along the way.
The running time is perfect. DCPA doesn’t overstay its welcome and the concise arrangement keeps your attention laser-focused on the track. There is no padding on this track. Hughes arranges DCPA’s musical firepower to cover as much ground with listeners as possible without any wasted motion. The payoff for us, the listeners, is enormous and holds up under repeated listens.
His acumen for production gives it impressive punch as well. DCPA keeps a lot of balls in the air from the song’s outset without ever sounding off balance. It’s Hughes’ attention to detail that makes this possible. It provides the crowning touch for “I Feel It Too” that ensures a wide and eager audience for its charms.
You cannot question Hughes’ affinity for this music. It runs far more than skin-deep. Even those who do not like EDM, if they are honest, will concede that this is polished and intelligent music. It’s never plastic, there isn’t any pandering for listeners’ attention, and it has strong compositional qualities. The innate talent underlying DCPA’s music will find an audience; the cream inevitably rises to the top in a popular form like EDM. DCPA’s “I Feel It Too” makes a case for the genre as substantial rather than trivial with convincing ease for some, without a doubt.
Chadwick Easton
