With his highly-anticipated new EP ‘On Top’ set to arrive on July 23rd, following up last year’s spectacular studio album ‘Grand Plan’, Dan Croll is back once again to unveil the collection’s next spellbinding cut ‘Big One’.
Following on from the release of the EP’s title-track, ‘Big One’ looks to continue the fresh and vibrant direction that this new release is heading in. Continuing the journey of new beginnings that ran through his previous full-length, this new offering offers a bright and upbeat juxtaposition to the turmoil that surrounded his time in LA during the pandemic.
Speaking about the new single, Dan said, “At the end of 2019 I’d moved into a new apartment, and as the year rolled on the cracks started to show, quite literally. With the claustrophobia of 2020, the noisy neighbours upstairs, and a few small earthquakes I’d grown to fear the apartment and the nights of anxious sleep it had given me. This song is about living on that downward slope.”
Alongside news of the new release, Dan Croll is also announcing the launch of his Reluctant Runners Club on Strava. The club is open for anyone to join, and prizes will be given away at random just for being a part of the community and being active, whether it’s running, cycling, swimming, or more. Having spent the last year in a foreign country in isolation, Dan truly appreciates the power of good mental health and is excited to virtually jog alongside his fans.
Speaking about the initiative, he added, “Exercise has always been very important to me, and in more ways than just breaking a sweat. It’s forced me to get out of the house or work environment, helped me to socialise, find clarity in tough times, and also enjoy new music.
“However, with the world now slowly opening back up I’ve noticed just how much of a hit my physical and mental health has taken the past year, and the confidence and motivation to get back out there is at an all time low.
“So I had the idea to create a running club using the Strava app. A space where we can encourage each other, track our progress, and share new music to hopefully get us back to a healthier place.
“Run, jog, or walk, there’s no pressure on how far or how fast you go. Just take it one step at a time and we can all build on it together!
“We’ll also be doing raffles and giveaways each month so download the app, join the club, and get out there!”
Much like his idea for ‘Grand Plan’, the ‘On Top’ EP sees Dan continue the narrative of his time since moving to the US. Almost acting as an epilogue for the album, ‘On Top’ begins where the full-length left off, charting his time in a new and unknown land during one of the most turbulent years in recent history.From the implications the pandemic had on the ‘Grand Plan’ campaign and not being able to tour, having to recalibrate and deal with those realities versus expectations, to dealing with noisy neighbours and literal earthquakes. Dan casts a UK lens on living in the US during an incredibly tumultuous year including the rise and fall of Trump, the Black Lives Matter protests and much more.The four-track EP was recorded at Spacebomb in Richmond, Virginia at the end of 2020 with Matthew E. White and the same team as his most recent record, creating a succinct direction that perfectly captures his state of mind during that time.
Speaking about the new collection, Dan said, “Releasing an album during a pandemic was strange enough of an experience, but trying to write an EP was something else. Despite moments of serious creative fatigue, 2020 was too important and obscure to not create in. The global shutdown, Trump’s presidency ending, the black lives matter movement, record wildfires, it really was a rollercoaster. These four tracks were my way of dealing with all of that, part distraction and part therapy for a wild time in life.
“Returning to Spacebomb socially distanced and masked was a strange change from not long before when I was there recording the album with no idea what was approaching. Even still, it was as fun as ever playing with all of the usual brilliant musicians there. We had a few curveballs thrown our way, but were very grateful to the team and musicians working to make it happen so safely.”
Dan Croll’s most recent album ‘Grand Plan’ chronicled the 12-month period starting in February 2018 when Croll decided to up sticks and move to Los Angeles after the realisation that he might be becoming restless in Liverpool. Over the ensuing 12 months Dan turned his experiences into 20-odd songs, eventually whittling them down to a solid dozen chapters. Then, in spring 2019, he spent a month with the estimable Matthew E. White in Virginia bringing to life the songs in the inimitable Spacebomb country-psych-soul style. Each song tells a story, in narrative order.
Taking a different approach to releasing new music, from the start of the year (2020) the singer-songwriter released pairs of singles, in chronological order as they appear on the record. With these single couplets being released almost once a month, they all led to the release of ‘Grand Plan’.