Darren

No, don’t fret your pretty little head. It’s not another Will Young song about his torturous relationships with the man in the mirror. For a debut release this is quite simply superb. It does sound a bit like the sort of stuff that Darren’s namesake, Darren Hayes might present to the world but mimicking accomplished performers is surely flattery by impersonation. Darren’s voice is polished to perfection and sits so well on the water of light disco beats and funky rhythms that lingers underneath the vocals- an undercurrent bringing things to the surface.

Sexuality smoulders as passion escapes through vapours as Darren makes his first appearance on the world stage and manages, somehow, to steal the show from more seasoned performers. This album is a Radio 2 favourite in the making and it is a joy to listen to a man singing who doesn’t think he has to impersonate James Blunt and use his voice to break glass. There’s the faintest whiff of boy-band material on the album but that is no bad thing as, judging from his website photo, Darren will be as much of a hit with the chicks as he is with the chaps. The rawness of Darren’s emotional expressions is touching, refreshing and stunning from a performer so young, so fragile, so new and so unknown.

This album is not so much a message announcing arrival as a fence post stabbed into the sodden earth below. It is Darren’s mark upon Darren’s territory. Welcome to the world according to Darren. Welcome to beautiful music played to perfection and listed to be everyone. Bravo, Darren, Bravo - godisinthetvzine.co.uk - Martin Drury

With an impressive, confident debut disc full of surprises, producer and singer-songwriter Darren proves that anything is possible-- even transporting us back to a better time with the simple synth-pop sound of the early to mid-'90s. Combining the do--it-yourself boyband bravado of Soul Decision and the techno artistry of Kenna with sexy, unshowy vocals, this London-born New Yorker's experiments pay off. From the ruthless hook of lead single "The Limit" to the infectious immediacy of "Spread the Love" to the cigarette lighter-swaying sweetness of "You Were Loved," Anything Is Possible is impossible to resist. - HX Magazine - Brandon Voss

Darren hails from London and currently resides in New York City. Darren is a producer, singer and songwriter. He has studied music and has worked in theater. Darren incorporates his diverse experiences and expertise into his modern musical mixes. His songs are a blend of American pop and British electronica with moods that range from danceable to serious with some experimentation. Darren sings his sharp, poetic lyrics with a voice that is passionate and polished. Anything Is Possible is Darren's eclectic, eleven-track debut. The CD opens strong with 'The Limit'. A song that combines a funky groove with dark reflections on the harshness of love. The electronic textures are mesmerizing and the varied vocal inflections from silky smooth to enhanced at the hook are inventive. 'Out of the Rain' is another innovative track starting with a sound like raindrops as shady imagery is slowly replace by words of encouragement. Darren utilizes a variety of electronic tempos and tones to augment the song. 'Patch Me Up' flows on electronic instrumentation combined with Darren's silky vocals and more good use of varied beats and effects. Darren proves that Anything Is Possible with his impressive freshman release! - kweevak.com - Laura Turner Lynch

"Looking out…and up.

Meet Darren. He’s not from around here. The eclectic preppie was born in Lincoln, a small city just outside of London, and only came to the States following his university education in the British capital. New York is his home now, and has been for the last five years.

“I was hooked,” Darren says of his initial exposure to Gotham and its artistic community. “I just fell in love with the city—the atmosphere, the people.”

The people especially. Much of the inspiration for Anything Is Possible, Darren’s debut album, came not from the environs surrounding him in this grand industrial expanse, but from the people populating it. “I live in the West Village,” the baby-faced bandolier shares, “and there are so many amazing coffee bars and places you can go to have a cup of tea to watch people in New York. A couple of the songs [on the album] were about watching other people and seeing what was going on in the lives around me and interpreting that into a song.”

If your inspiration is the emotional complexities of day-to-day Manhattan living, it naturally follows that Anything Is Possible’s tracklist isn’t exactly a peaches-and-cream stroll through Central Park West. Songs such as “Drowning” and “Patch Me Up” translate the isolation and high-stakes desperation that comes with the struggle to survive in the city. “There are people I knew who were having dreams and expecting more out of life [but] things really weren’t happening,” Darren elaborates, “but if you take a look around, everything you really need is right there—you’re in New York living a life a lot of people just dream about.”

That couldn’t be more true for Darren, who is not only the lead musician on Anything Is Possible, but also the producer, vocalist and head of marketing on the project, having released his debut disc on Shark Meat Records, the label he launched with co-owner Armando Ortiz earlier this year. “It was an intense experience setting up the record label, writing, producing and doing everything right down to the backing vocals on the album—

I don’t think I’d ever want to do all of that again!” Darren sighs with
a relieved giggle. “But it’s not enough these days just to write some great songs and put a CD out; you’ve got to know how the business works.”

If the swath of quirky electro-orchestral arrangements on Anything Is Possible still leave any doubt lingering in your ears, know that the entrepreneurial upstart is currently overseeing his own career in tandem with that of Grace Garland, who recently signed with Shark Meat, as well as a artist whose debut Darren will produce.

“There’s always a bit of silver around the cloud,” Darren concludes, speaking of his songs as much as his outlook. In addition to his talent, it’s one of the rea-sons the musician has persevered where lesser artists would not, and why he’s still looking out at the world from the vantage point of New York.

Anything Is Possible (Shark Meat Records) is available now.
Visit darrenmusic.com for more info."

Interviewd by Gregory T. Angelo - NEXT Magazine

Lincoln, England born, London cultured, and current resident of NYC, Darren has just released his debut album, Anything is Possible. Over a year in the making, Darren serves as producer, engineer, writer, performer, and about anything else you can come up with. That said, this album serves as a wonderful introduction to one of the most talented men in current music.

Anything is Possible is an excellent album from start to finish. Darren’s voice is very inoffensive in much the same way as Simon LeBon’s (Duran Duran) is. He has a strong presence in the songs but he never overpowers them or brow beats you with a certain musical agenda. The opening track, "The Limit", certainly puts Darren’s best foot forward musically invoking the aforementioned Duran Duran (Notorious-era in particular) as well as Boy George’s better moments. It has a sort of a low key dance groove to it that really draws you into the song. The more experimental sound of “You & I” is another highlight, with its string intro and upbeat Nintendo core sound. “Looking for Something” follows it with a more contemplative vocal approach and some very nice electronics. Occasionally the album gives a nod to the underlying acoustic aspect and in doing that provides a nice change without straying to far from the mark.

Darren has me completely sold. When people say “Indie music has a lot to offer these days” this is the kind of album they are talking about. If you like any kind of Dance or New Wave pop music than you should check Darren out. Key Tracks: The Limit. Reviewed by: Mark Fisher
- 1340mag.com