The Dare sounds like the exact moment a cool basement party tips over into total chaos. It is built on a foundation of skeletal drum machine patterns, aggressive sawtooth synths, and a vocal delivery that sits somewhere between a bored shrug and a frantic command. The aesthetic is heavily indebted to the electroclash era, stripping away the polish of modern pop in favor of something more jagged, immediate, and intentionally provocative.
What makes Harrison Smith's project distinctive is the commitment to the 'indie sleaze' revival without it feeling like a museum piece. He uses high-contrast production, where the silence between the beats is just as loud as the distorted basslines. There is a specific tension in the music: it is incredibly danceable but also slightly abrasive, mirroring the frantic, performative energy of New York City nightlife.
Start with 'Girls' to understand the viral blueprint of his sound, then move to 'What's Wrong with New York?' for the full-length experience. It is the perfect soundtrack for anyone who misses when dance music felt a little bit dangerous and a lot more fun.
Harrison Patrick Smith (born March 19, 1996), known professionally as the Dare and formerly as Turtlenecked, is an American singer and musician. He is best known for his single "Girls", released in August 2022, and for producing the song "Guess" by Charli XCX from the deluxe version of her 2024 album Brat. After performing indie music as Turtlenecked in the Pacific Northwest, Smith moved to New York City and began writing songs as the Dare. Following the releases of the singles "Girls" and "Good Time", Smith signed with Republic Records and on May 19, 2023, released The Sex EP to mixed reviews. In 2024, he released What's Wrong with New York?, his debut studio album as the Dare, to largely positive reviews. The Dare is associated with the indie sleaze revival and Dimes Square.
Shares digital clarity, compressed loud, drum machine (production style); playful, confident, rebellious (moods)
Shares digital clarity, drum machine, compressed loud (production style); playful, confident, rebellious (moods)
Shares digital clarity, compressed loud, drum machine (production style); playful, rebellious, energetic (moods)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); digital clarity, drum machine, compressed loud (production style)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); drum machine, digital clarity, studio polished (production style)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); digital clarity, drum machine, compressed loud (production style)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); indie rock, new wave, electropop (subgenres)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); digital clarity, drum machine, compressed loud (production style)
Shares playful, confident, rebellious (moods); digital clarity, drum machine, compressed loud (production style)
Shares electroclash, new wave, deadpan, electropop (signature)
Shares electroclash, drum machine, new wave, deadpan (signature)
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →