For those not in the know, it was a big step for alternative rock group The Dye in their four-year journey from inception to this month’s release of their debut album, Painting the New Night.

The sold-crowd at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall erupted boisterously as guitarist-vocalist Bruno Arredondo and vocalist-keyboardist Eudora Ellis led the band in the premiere performance of the two singles released last month, “Clementine” and “Tantric Pace.”

The double single release set the stage for the WITHYN Records album produced and mixed by multi-time Grammy winner Damon Whittemore (Paul McCartney, Béla Fleck, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Arooj Aftab) slated to drop on June 10th, 2022.

The Dye paints sonic murals crafted from palettes of psychedelic color and dark gothic hues. Arredondo and Ellis wrote eleven songs for Painting the New Night, pairing their flair for incisive poetic lyricism with artful mélanges of sound constructed from vintage classic rock sensibilities, retro new wave nuances, post-punk edginess and bite, and avant-garde alternative rock.

Vibrant melodies and lush harmonies cascade, washing over tracks etched from gritty, grinding and gauzy guitar riffs and swirling swatches of keyboard atmospherics anchored by raw rhythmic basslines (Paul Ogunsalu) and punctually aggressive drum beats (Jared Pease and Eric Grajo). Tenor saxophonist Isak Gaines adds to the wall of sound.

1. “Sheet Of Flowers”
2. “Clementine”
3. “Tantric Pace”
4. “Helen”
5. “Full Moon”
6. “House Of The Fall”
7. “Pool Of Night”
8. “Summer”
9. “Colors Of The Universe”
10. “Town Of The Tower”
11. “Tuning The Wind”

This at all times pleasing musical extravaganza opens on the shimmering “Sheet Of Flowers” and then Arredondo sings lead on the psychedelically goth-tinged “Clementine,” a tune about love and surrealism, and they are in turn followed by the powerful vocals of front woman Ellis who herself helms the Grace Slick-esque rocker “Tantric Pace,” which tackles violence against women, the translucent, ’80s Cure-esque lure of “Helen” and then we get the rhythmic charms of “Full Moon” and the upbeat, Doors-esque “House Of The Fall.”

Next up is one of my own personal favorites on this vibrantly captivating new recording, the languishing beauty of “Pool Of Night” and the atmospherically-charged “Summer,” and they are backed seamlessly by the reverberating melodies within “Colors Of The Universe,” the early ’90s goth of “Town Of The Tower,” the album coming to an all too soon close on the Smiths-imbibed “Tuning The Wind.”

“There was an enormous amount of passion, devotion and positive intentions that went into creating each and every note of this work of art,” lead vocalist Ellis (and who plays synthesizers, organ, piano and tambourine on the recording) explains. “The album ignites sensory pathways that illuminate with vivid dreamlike landscapes of colors. ‘Painting the New Night’ is a journey into the labyrinth of the soul, finding new spaces, shades, tones, textures, shapes and shadows of sound.”

“The album invites one to embark on a sonic quest delving deep into psychedelic, cinematic alternative rock while traveling through themes of transformation, empowerment, release, innocence, mysticism, rebirth, love and healing.”

Arredondo and Ellis first met while studying at Berklee College of Music. Arredondo was allured by cinema, poetry and classic rock music, and he studied theater and filmmaking in London and New York. He found comfort in the studio composing and recording cinematic music.

Before Berklee, Ellis ventured into singing jazz, recording several albums in the genre. While in the UK, she turned down the invitation to join the British band Portishead.

Arredondo and Ellis linked up in New York City three years after graduating Berklee and decided to collaborate. It was at their third show together as The Dye in 2016 that provided confirmation of the creative magic that existed between them.

Audio engineer Richie Clarke (Herbie Hancock, Brian Eno) was one of the mesmerized audience members at that concert and he connected the band with Whittemore. Work began in earnest in the East Village at the famed Flux Studios with Clarke as part of the team.

Meanwhile, The Dye cultivated a following by becoming a staple on the Big Apple’s club circuit. They released the “Poem of Ride” EP three years ago, which was mastered by Grammy winner Joe LaPorta (David Bowie). The title track was selected as the best tune of the month on the national radio show Indie Music Countdown. The Dye was already a year into working on Painting the New Night when the EP streeted.

“Four years have passed and the experience of making Painting the New Night has been the most incredible of my artistic career so far. The entire process changed our lives as musicians completely. I can’t wait for the world to hear the album,” says Arredondo.

The Dye - “Tantric Pace” [Official Lyric Video]

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