Dash & Will

From the very first beat, “Animal” – the hot new single from Melbourne duo Dash & Will – announces itself as a track impossible to ignore. The first taste of Dash & Will’s highly anticipated sophomore album is pure indie-pop perfection: three high-octane minutes of distorted synths, full tilt attitude, and a chorus so addictive it’s planted firmly in your head after just one listen. Dash & Will are back!

With its driving beat and electro pop edge – not to mention some serious riffage – the song’s dancefloor confidence announces a whole new era for the monikered pair, who first turned heads with 2009’s Up In Something.

They may have started out writing on acoustic guitars while still teens, but there’s nothing lightweight about the swagger behind Charlie Thorpe (aka Dash) and Josie De Sousa-Reay’s (aka Will) triumphant return to the airwaves. “Now you’re back inside my head like an animal / And you’re tearing through the cage like you did before,” bursts the song’s chorus – a pulsing, indie-pop statement of intent. Highly addictive, “Animal” is an exciting lead into the fresh sounds expectant fans will hear on the duo’s highly anticipated second album, set for release 2011.

With more than a decade of friendship and music between them – Josie and Charlie first butting heads in a Melbourne classroom back in Grade 4 – Dash & Will were always destined to stand out from the crowd. While still at high school the pair’s early demos won over acclaimed producer Barry Palmer (ex-Hunters and Collectors), who quickly snapped them up. Refusing to bow down to any traditional pop stylings, the pair’s major label debut single, “Pick You Up”, (released May 2008) heralded a hot new Australian act on the rise. Upon its release, the girls’ authoritive, undeniable longplayer Up In Something peaked at number four on the ARIA Heatseekers chart, the record’s success followed up with international support slots for the Tings Tings, the Kooks, and the Futureheads. Not content with undertaking their own sold-out tours across the country, Dash & Will also thrilled punters on festival line-ups including Homebake, Southbound, and Falls.

In March 2010 Dash & Will headed over to the US, to kick off work on album number two. For several months they criss-crossed the Pacific, writing and recording what already promises to be one of the year’s hottest releases. March 2011 will see the girls return to the States for a highly coveted slot at influential music festival South By Southwest (SXSW) and then further shows throughout the UK and Australia.

As the very first teaser from Dash & Will’s forthcoming release, there’s no doubt “Animal” will whet your appetite for what’s to come. Get ready to become hooked all over again –Dash & Will are back!