Dent's unique vocal style, part crooner, part falsetto, and 101 percent showman reflects the influences of some of his favorite singers (Prince, Serge Gainsbourg, and Lee Hazlewood to name a few). His love of various song styles results in a unique combination of ukulele, drums, pedal steel, violin, horns and bass. One second his songs hint at Brazilian Tropicalia, the next a '50s barbershop quartet or an early 20th century country swing. By integrating his favorite pop music from around the world and writing about what is in front of him (his town, his friends, and pretty girls), Dent takes the "think global, buy local" motto to heart. He may just be one of the 21st century's first sustainable pop singers.
Recent singles on Forest Family and Paw Tracks have found Dent abandoning the ukulele in favor of cosmic synths, funky guitars, analog drum machines, loopy bass lines, and massive vocal harmonies. He played all the instruments on his new album "Do Things, which was recorded at the Dude Ranch and in a friend's rural cabin by a cotton field. He has described the album as "Pet Sounds for the Smirnoff Ice generation" and "a wedding reception band on acid" via his Twitter account. "Do Things" is out now on Paw Tracks.
The collective formed at SUNY Purchase college when a tight group of electronic musicians found themselves hanging out everyday talking about music, creating music, and comparing their own wild musical creations. The idea of a collective was quite apparent and anticipated.