New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Roadrunner Records) - Roadrunner Records proudly announces the signing of Nashville's pop stunners De Novo Dahl. The name, a combination of Latin for "the new" and the last name of creative and visual author Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), translates roughly "the new Dahl" - which is a good way to describe their collective approach to music.
De Novo Dahl has been busy earning a name for themselves over the past few years. The band released an ambitious double disc debut, Cats & Kittens in 2005. The album, Cats being filled with traditional pop tunes and Kittens basically a remixed, reworked completely rearranged version of Cats, was well received by the masses and gained the band critical acclaim.
Pitchfork Media says of the band "The net impression left by the two discs of Cats & Kittens is one of a confident, talented band letting its collective imagination run wild, deconstructing it own ideas and recycling them into something new...overflowing with mostly realized ambition," and CMJ says De Novo Dahl is "...bursting with new ideas."
De Novo Dahl, comprised of Joel J. Dahl (vocals, guitar), Serai Zaffiro (omnichord, vocals, percussion), Keith Lowen (Bass, vocals), Arlo Hall (Keys, vocals) and Mixta Huxtable (drums), has shared bills with the likes of TV on the Radio, The Detachment Kit, Wilco, Elf Power, The Impossible Shapes and VHS or Beta. In addition, the band has played countless festivals and were all the rage at 2005's SXSW and 2006's CMJ Music Marathon.
De Novo Dahl is moving full steam ahead with writing and recording their new record. Producers David Fridmann and Tony Dugan (Flaming Lips, Super Furry Animals, Belle & Sebastian) have signed on to mix the new tunes. Frontman Joel J. Dahl says of the new partnership, "De Novo Dahl is extremely excited to be working with Roadrunner, a label who believes in artistic integrity and career development. We have always had a strong musical vision that incorporates a lot of energy, and Roadrunner will help take that vision to the world of art and music. Roadrunner seems to truly understand the concept of embracing the vision we already have."
Brought to Roadrunner by A&R man Dave Bason, credited for bringing in much of the label's more recent diversity, De Novo Dahl adds a deeper dimension to the label's multi-faceted direction. "The songs drew me in immediately. They are a mix of uplifting pop songs and weird textured stuff that give you that feeling you get after eating too much candy. What do you expect from a band named after the guy who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? When I saw the yellow and red striped swimwear from the 1800s, I knew this band was going to be a lot of fun. I love this record!"
Look out for De Novo Dahl's next album and debut with Roadrunner Records, due out summer 2007.
