PHOTO: REUBEN RADDING | It seems that New York City resident Dylan Hundley is perpetually busy. Many know her as one half of Lulu Lewis alongside her partner Pablo Martin. She’s also the curator of the monthly multi-disciplinary music and art series Salon Lulu, and on top of that, the host of Radar on this very website.
But Hundley has even more things happening, including her solo project Darling Black, which has released an EP and a handful of singles since 2020. Today we’re premiering a new Darling Black song, “Deep Down in the Ground,” the track as rhythmic and as reflective of a classic NYC subterranean sensibility as anything in Hundley’s discography.
Dylan Hundley has a number of qualities in her favor. There’s her vocal prowess, which in “Deep Down” is breathy and soulful. Her voice is also layered in the track’s grand scheme, and that brings us to another of Hundley’s strong points, her abilities as producer.
Akin to Lulu Lewis, there’s a historical thrust to Darling Black that transcends the standard retro impulse. Described by Hundley as minimal wave/synth pop, the music of Darling Black connects as a deliberate callback to an era in the city that if more dangerous was also more creatively alive.
Most important of all, Darling Black gets the sound right. “Deep Down in the Ground” has a solid groove that’s not too busy, and the track never sounds like a relic. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable taste of what’s to come with the release of Darling Black’s debut LP, which is due in September. Until then, just play “Deep Down in the Ground” over and over, because it’s a grower.
