Drugdealer is the primary musical vehicle for Michael Collins, a Los Angeles-based artist who previously recorded as Run DMT and Salvia Plath. The project represents a shift from lo-fi, experimental psychedelia toward a highly refined, collaborative form of 1970s-influenced soft rock and pop.
Collins acts as a curator and songwriter, often assembling a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists (including Weyes Blood and Ariel Pink) to realize a sound that pays homage to Carole King, Todd Rundgren, and Harry Nilsson. The project is central to the modern 'canyon rock' revival, sharing a sonic lineage with contemporaries like Whitney and Foxygen. Critically, Drugdealer is praised for its high-fidelity analog production and its ability to capture the specific 'golden hour' atmosphere of Southern California. The evolution from the hazy textures of 'The End of Comedy' to the more soul-inflected 'Hiding in Plain Sight' demonstrates a growing sophistication in arrangement and a commitment to the craft of classic songwriting.
Shares soft rock, indie pop, baroque pop (subgenres); breathy, gentle, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares soft rock, indie pop (subgenres); breathy, harmonized, gentle (vocal style)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, playful (moods); breathy, gentle, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares soft rock, indie pop, americana (subgenres); analog_warmth, tape_saturation, live_recording (production style)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, playful (moods); breathy, gentle, harmonized (vocal style)
Shares nostalgic, wistful, playful (moods); golden_hour, coffee_shop, summer (atmosphere)
Shares baroque pop, golden_hour, soft rock, americana (subgenre)
Shares wurlitzer electric piano textures, golden_hour, soft rock, americana (detail)
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