The video for New Machine's "Dare 4 U" begins with a 20-second clip that ostensibly lays out the London artist's ambitions. It's footage of a 1989 Larry King interview with the late Frank Zappa, in which the prolific, genre-agnostic musician takes aim at music popular on the radio. "I think basically it's product and the reason why it is being manufactured is basically just to make money. It seems to me to have very little to do with the basic reasons for making music in the first place," said Zappa.
Aptly, "Dare 4 U" sounds like it's taken those sentiments, and Zappa's own '70s fusion ethos, into consideration. It's especially fitting that this gem of a single, which features floating vocals from British R&B singer Aaron London, is New Machine's first release as an artist; he got his start producing for and cowriting with artists such as Plan B and Kwabs. "Dare 4 U" borrows elements from old-school funk and pscyh rock, and mashes them up with glitchy drums, crunchy synth lines, and sweetly layered melodies to form something you could easily imagine being sandwiched into many a modern radio playlist.
"The song and video mean the world to me. It was very important to me to try and push some sound boundaries I had not touched on before venturing into the commercial world," he told The FADER over email. "It's the first video I ever shot, directed, and edited and I'm so pleased with the outcome. I shot it on my iPhone 6 in my bedroom. I give it up to Aaron for having the patience to make this with me."
Hit play above, and stay tuned for more from New Machine.